Plains Indians Flashcards
Why were they nomadic?
Illness
Following Buffalo
War
What were the Plains Indians?
Nomadic
How did they count wealth?
Horses
Why did they move to the Plains?
Horses to hunt buffalo easier
Disease
Guns
What was their homes called?
Tipi
Why was a tipi good?
Easy to move
Fire could escape via flaps
Strong to survive winds
What were men responsible for?
Hunting
Looking after horses
Protecting the band
How were men judged?
Hunting skills
Warrior skills
Horsemanship skills
What were women’s responsibilities?
Preparing food
Fetching water
Making clothes and other items
Looking after children
How were women judged?
Skills at craft
Skills at home makers
Highly valued as bearers of children
Did they practise polygamy? Why?
Yes, more women than men, all women would be cared for, lots of children
Were arranged marriages popular? divorce?
Most were love matches, yes woman would keep tipi
Children?
Highly valued, learned skills needed, taught to ride, boys used bows and arrows, women taught to maintain home, learnt how to survive
Old people?
Gave advice, passed on history, helped bring up children
What is exposure?
When old people became too weak and tired they left
Name the three ways Indians were organised in decreasing size?
Nation
Tribes
Bands
How was the buffalo used? Name some
Cups, arrows, tipis, soap, whips, clothes, drums
What was counting coup?
Instead of killing enemy he was pegged
Why were scalps taken?
So they couldn’t get to the afterlife
Who was the great Spirit?
Wakan Tanka
Why were spirits important?
Influenced lives
Why were circles important?
Everything went in a circle
Why was the land sacred?
They came from it and were returned there, land was their mother,
Name some dances and what they were used for?
Buffalo dance- call buffalo
Scalp Dance- thank spirits for help
Sun Dance- guidance from spirit world
What was another word for the medicine man?
Shaman
Why was public health not a problem?
They moved so didn’t have pollution of water supply by sewage
What did they believe about land?
Couldn’t be owned
It was the whole nations
Black hills were very sacred
