american west Flashcards
1
Q
what were some uses of buffalo
A
- bones + horns used for many things e.g being shaped into arrow heads
- skins could be tanned into string leather for clothing and making tipis
- buffalo meat was an important food source. Blood , while fresh , could be drunk
2
Q
what is a tipi & what were the features of it
A
- tipis were home to NA
- adjustable vent in the top could regulate the safe burning of fire inside for warmth & cooking
- compact , easy to build & light. - fit with nomadic lifestyle
3
Q
what was scalping & why was it important
A
- scalping = taking off the scalp of your enemies
- sometimes taken as a trophy from defeated enemies - in rare instances it was taken from a living foe.
4
Q
what was considered honourable
A
- raiding enemy tribes + camps , including taking horses
5
Q
what was counting coup
A
- wasn’t always necessary to kill enemies
- warrior could show bravery by getting in killing range , touching their opponent (sometimes with a stick) & escaping
6
Q
what were medicine men
A
- tribes had medicine men
- medicine can refer to spiritual healing but had far wider spiritual meanings
7
Q
what was the idea of a great spirit called
A
- wakan tanka. - wasn’t a god , more an expression of the spiritual in all things
8
Q
what was the buffalo dance
A
- believed to bring in fortune in the vital buffalo hunt
9
Q
what was the sun dance
A
- involved suffering & pain as a sacrifice for one’s people
10
Q
what was the ghost dance
A
- desperate plea for the survival of the Indian way of life
11
Q
what was the idea about rituals surrounding naming
A
- in some cultures , youth would get their adult name based on a ‘vision’ they would seek in the wilderness. For example sitting bulls name refers to a vision of a buffalo aggressively rearing up to kick
12
Q
to be successful what did migrants need to plan for
A
- to cross Rocky Mountains + Sierra Nevada before snow fell
- take me north food to live on - e.g salted pork which rots slowly
- oxen - slow + reliable animals that survived on grass but travelled at only 3km/h, so time was right
- group of migrants with useful skills - hunters trappers , fishermen + women to care for children
13
Q
what were some typical problems on the Oregon trail
A
- safe camp sites often established by rivers - people used this for drinking water & going to the toilet - spread disease rapidly (cholera)
- drowning : bridges very rare & when rivers became swollen , people often had no alternative but to attempt a dangerous crossing
- 20,000 people thought to have been killed on the Oregon trail
14
Q
how did migrants prepare for their journeys
A
- covered wagons were employed. These provided cover & protection from the sun, wind & rain
- weapons carried for protection against Indian attacks, wild animals & hunting
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15
Q
why did scalping occur
A
- believed if a warrior lost his scalp he wouldn’t be there to fight you in the afterlife
