KT 1 - The Indigenous People of the Plains Flashcards
What were most Tribes divided into?
Bands, each with a Chief and a Council.
What are 3 examples of The Indigenous People’s tribes?
The Sioux, Cheyenne, and Blackfoot.
What were 3 key facts about Bands?
- Most people were Related to each other.
- Led by Chiefs & had Councils of Advisers.
- Survival & Protection of the Band as a whole was seen as more Important than the Individuals within it.
What did Council members in Bands do?
Agree everything the band did.
What did Chiefs do and how were they chosen?
- Chosen because of their wisdom & skills as warriors/hunters.
- Decided where their bands would go
- Decided what should happen to those who broke with customs & traditions. But did not have to be obeyed.
( As well as the Council )
What were Tribal Councils?
- Formed by the Chiefs & Elders.
- Advised Tribal Chiefs.
What were Tribal meetings?
- Yearly meetings of all the bands in a Tribe.
- Held to arrange marriages, trade horses, & discuss issues.
What were 4 key facts about Warrior Societies?
- Formed by the best Warriors from each Band.
- Members supervised Hunting & Protected their Bands from Attack.
- Led all short Raids & Wars.
- The Band’s Council would always Consult them before they made Decisions.
What were 3 key facts about Leadership on the Plains?
- No decision could be made until everyone at the council had agreed to it.
- The rest of the Tribe/Band did not have to obey the decision.
- Chiefs & Elders were often guided by the spirit world through visions.
What was a Consequence of the way Leadership was on the Plains?
- The US Government thought that if a chief signed a treaty, all his tribe should obey the terms of it.
- This was not the way Indigenous People’s Society worked.
What is an Example of the Consequence of the way Leadership was on the Plains?
- In 1868 Chief Red Cloud signed a treaty.
- Many Lakota Sioux Bands followed Chief Sitting Bull, who opposed it.
Were all Band Members Equal?
Yes, a Band saw every member as being equally important to its survival.
What is another name for Men on the Plains?
Braves
What is another name for Women on the Plains?
Squaws
What did Men (Braves) do for the Band?
- Hunted
- Fought Enemies
What did Women (Squaws) do for the Band?
- Made Clothing
- Fed the Family
- Looked after their Tipi
Who looked after the Children?
Everyone, they were taught the skills of their parents.
What were 2 features of the Elders in Bands?
- Respected for their Wisdom.
- Left behind to die if their weakness threatened the survival of a band.
What did the US government try to do to Indian society?
Break it up into Family Units.
What happened to the Children under the US government’s policies?
They were moved to schools far away from their tribe.
What was the impact on the Children being moved to distant schools?
They did not learn all the skills and traditions of their people.
What were the Conditions like on The Great Plains?
- Very Dry.
- Very Hot Summers & Extremely Cold Winters.
How were Horses obtained on The Great Plains?
- Introduced by Spanish Invaders.
- Indigenous People Bred, Traded, and sometimes Stole them.
What are 4 Advantages of Horses on The Great Plains?
- Vital to surviving on The Great Plains.
- Quicker & Easier to Catch Buffalo.
- Carried Indigenous People & Belongings on their journey to find Buffalo.
- Used in War.
What was Wealth and Status Measured in on The Great Plains?
- How many Horses an Indigenous Person or Tribe had.
What were Buffalos used for on The Great Plains?
- Every part was used for Food, Clothing, & Equipment.
- Buffalo meat was cut up and eaten raw or cooked.
- Indigenous People believed a Buffalo’s heart gave new life to a herd.
What would happen when there was Scarce Food on The Plains?
Bands would split up and spread out.
What was a Consequence of Bands splitting up because of Scarce Food on the Plains?
- Bands Moved Outside their Tribe’s Traditional Hunting Grounds into Areas Controlled by other Tribes.
- Sometimes this was done by Treaty with other Tribes.
- Sometimes this caused Conflict.
What did Indigenous People Raid other Tribes for and why?
- Food
- Horses
- People
- These Raids were part of the way in which the Tribes Survived on The Plains.
When & Why did The Indigenous People have a Nomadic Lifestyle?
- Through the Summer & Autumn.
- To follow the Buffalo Migrations.
What were Tipis made of?
- Wooden Poles & Covered in Buffalo Hide.
What were 3 Advantages of the Tipi?
- Coned Shape Protected against Strong Winds.
- Flaps Provided Ventilation in the Summer Heat.
- Could be Taken Down & Packed Away in Minutes.
Where did Bands move to in the Winter and where did they Live?
- Sheltered Valleys.
- Lived in Wooden Lodges, Insulated with Thick Layers of Soil.
What was a Consequence of Tribes having a Nomadic Lifestyle?
- Nomadic Tribes found it very difficult to live permanently on reservations because they were used to travelling and hunting freely.
What were 3 Beliefs Indigenous People had about Nature?
- Everything in Nature had a Spirit and that these Spirits could Help Humans or Harm them.
- Humans were a Part of Nature & should Work with the Spirits of Nature rather than trying to Tame & Control them.
- They could Contact The Spirit World through Visions & Special Ritual Dances.
Why were The Black Hills, Paha Sapa, Sacred for the Lakota Sioux?
- They believed this was where their tribe originally came from.
What were The Indigenous People’s Views on Owning Land?
- Generally no one owned any land.
- Land was not anyone’s property and not something that one person could buy and keep just for themselves.
What was a Consequence of The Indigenous People’s Views on Owning Land?
- White Settlers had very different views about Property which led to Tension & Conflict.
Why did Indigenous People Develop ways to avoid too much Killing?
- Young Men were Essential to each Tribe’s Survival.
Who was the Highest Respect & Prestige Given to on The Plains?
- Warriors for Counting Coup.
- ( Landing a Blow on an Enemy and Getting Away Without being Injured ).
What did Indian War Parties do if a Fight Turned Against Them?
- They would Run Away.
What was a Consequence of War Parties Running Away when a Fight Turned Against Them?
- The US Army found it difficult to Fight an Enemy that ran away rather than Fighting to the Last Man.
- They had to Develop new Techniques against Indigenous People’s Warfare.
When & What was The Indian Removal Act?
- 1830
- Forced Indians in Eastern States to Move West of the Mississippi River.
- 46,000 Eastern Indians were Forced by the US Government to give up their Lands in Return for New Lands West of the Mississippi River.
When & What was The Indian Trade & Intercourse Act?
- 1834
- Set out the Permanent Frontier between the USA and Indian Territory.
- Forts Guarded the Frontier to stop Whites Crossing over to Settle in Indian Territory.
When did the US Win the Mexican-American War?
- 1848
What was the Consequence of the US Winning the Mexican-American War?
- The USA Gained new Territories in the West.
- Indian Territory was now Sandwiched in the Middle of the USA.
What did the US Army force Indians to do so US Citizens could Migrate to the West?
- Forced Indians to move away from Trails in case they Attacked Travellers Migrating from East to West.
What was a Consequence of the Government Support for Westward Expansion?
- US Policy Started to Change.
- The ‘Permanent’ Indian Frontier now allowed Whites to cross.
When & What was The Indian Appropriations Act?
- 1851
- Money was Allocated for Setting Up Indian Reservations in Modern day Oklahoma.
Why did The Indian Appropriations Act take place?
- White Americans wanted to use parts of the lands in the West that had been given to Indians.
What were the Purposes of the Indian Appropriations Act?
- To keep Whites and Indians apart.
- To help Indians learn to Farm and Live like White Americans.
What did the Government pay Indians to do during the Indian Appropriations Act?
- Paid Indians to give up Land that Whites wanted and move to smaller areas.
How did Reservations control The Indigenous People?
- White People could teach Indians about new ways of Living.
- Reservations could become a way of controlling where Indians went and what they did.
