Unit 1: Topic 2 - Native American Societies Before European Contact

Question 1

Provide an example of a native society that benefitted from maize cultivation.

Answer 1

An example is the Pueblo which was an American southwest society that engaged in maize cultivation, lived in arid land, and relied on irrigation to grow maize & other agricultural products.

Another example is the Aztec and Mayan societies.

Please look at this chart taken from fiveable that provides information on all major tribes and everything about them.

Question 2

Provide an example of a native society in the Great Plains that developed largely mobile lifestyles.

Answer 2

An example is the Lakota Sioux, who lacked natural resources, which led to the growth of the nomadic lifestyle, and as a result, hunting buffalo became very important.

Please look at this chart taken from fiveable that provides information on all major tribes and everything about them.

Question 3

Provide an example of a native society in the Northeast region that developed mixed agricultural and hunter-gatherer economies.

Answer 3

An example is the Iroquois, who were a mix of agricultural & hunter-gatherer societies. They also established permanent villages, such as Iroquois Confederation.

Please look at this chart taken from fiveable that provides information on all major tribes and everything about them.

Question 4

Provide an example of a native society that existed in the Northwest or present-day California.

Answer 4

Native Societies in California had a little surplus, so tribes remained small, hunter-gatherer groups.

An example of a native society in the Northwest is Chinook. They lived by the sea and settled in fishing villages. They also relied on elk which they found in abundance in forests.

Please look at this chart taken from fiveable that provides information on all major tribes and everything about them.