The American West – Unit 1 – The Plains Indians – key terms test

1. What is a natural frontier? (1)

2. Name three examples of natural frontiers in America. (3)

3. Give three advantages of a tipi. (3)

4. Give two functions of a warrior society. (2)

5. List five uses of the buffalo. (5)

6. Give two reasons why Plains Indians took the scalps of their enemies.
(2)

7. What was counting coup? (1)

 8. Give five ways in which religion/the spirits played a part in Indian life.
(5)

9. Give three reasons why the whites might have viewed the Indians as
savages. (3)

10. Name two Indian dances and explain their purpose. (4)

11. Give two functions of the medicine man (2)

12. What was polygamy and why did the Indians practice it? (2)

13. Define the following (1 mark each):

Brave:

Squaw:

Band:

Sioux:

Travois:

Total: 38 marks