Name:​ ___________________________________

Topic:​____________________________________
Date:​ ____________________________________

Essential Question: What does the term Native American mean? What are some general differences
among the various Native American Nations?

Notes: What is a Native American?

The term Native American refers to the descendants of the more than 300 indigenous tribes that
lived in the U.S. prior to Columbus’ arrival.

Indigenous​: Having originated or living naturally in a region.

Tribe​: A separate nation, a group of people with a common land, government, and culture.

Other Common Terms

Indian​: The name given to the indigenous tribes by Columbus and adopted by Europeans.

American Indian​: Refers to the Native Americans of the lower 48 states.

Cultural Diversity

Even though all the tribes fall under the term Native American, each group is different from the
rest.

They all had different forms of:

Government

Religious Practices, Creation Myths

Views on women

Racial Stereotypes

But even with these differences there are still many stereotypes that persist regarding Native
Americans as a whole.

These Include:

1. They all live in tipis, hunt buffalo, and ride horses.

2. All Native Americans live on reservations.
3. Images of Native Americans used for mascots.

Summary: