⋆｡°✩ Unit 1.1-1.2: Native American Tribes *ੈ✩‧₊˚

   

Weighted: 4-6% °❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ 1491-1607

     The AP US history curriculum's first unit begins on 1491 as this date marked the last year before foreign external influences would colonize the Americas and completely alter previously established Native culture and societies. The largest focus here is on Native American tribes and their regional differences and dependence based on surrounding environmental factors. The most important idea conveyed here was that not every Native group were the same. 

Native American Culture of the Southwest: 

→ Located in present day Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico

⋆ Food: heavy on farming and agriculture, grew crops such as squash, beans, and corn

⋆ Environmental factor: due to hot and dry climate, they built complex irrigation systems alongside permanent villages

⋆ Tribes included: Pueblo, Navajo, Apache

Native American Culture of the Southeast:

→ Located in present day Florida Peninsula and Gulf of Mexico

⋆ Food: farmed, hunted, and fished things such as deer and berries.

⋆ Environmental factor: slashed/burned fields, built mounts for religious reasons and chiefdoms

⋆ Tribes included: Cherokee, Choctaw, Seminole

 

Native American Culture of the Northeast:

→ Located in present day Canada, east coast, Ohio River Valley, and Appalachian Mountains

⋆ Food: farmed, hunted, and gathered

⋆ Environmental factor: lived permanent. stationary lifestyles and developed strong political structure

⋆ Tribes included: Wampanoag, Powatan, and Iroquois 

Native American Culture of the Plains:

→ Located in present day central America, Great Plains, and Rocky Mountains

⋆ Food: hunted and gathered things such as elk, bison, and fruits

⋆ Environmental factor: due to limited resources and an arid climate, they were nomadic (always moving), lived in tipis, and rode horses

⋆ Tribes included: Sioux, Comanche, and Ute

Native American Culture of the West/Northwest:

→ Located in present day California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and Idaho

⋆ Food: primarily fished, hunted, and gathered things such as bison, salmon, and acorns

⋆ Environmental factor: their diets were often considered very healthy due to abundant, rich natural resources like fresh bodies of water and fertile soil

⋆ Tribes included: Chinook, Alsea, and Tillamook

Additional Terms:

⋆ Three sister farming: cultivating corn, beans, and squash together was very prosperous.

⋆ Maize Cultivation: the agricultural practice of growing maize (corn) which became a staple crop for many Native American societies before European contact. It played a crucial role in diet, culture, and the economy, which in turn allowed for more permanent agricultural communities to emerge.

⋆ Animalism: Refers to the belief that everything from stones to plants and animals to birds has a unique spirit. Many Native Americans believed in this. 

Authors note: This is a detailed inquiry of each tribal region. I would recommend understanding the environmental factors of each region and some examples, however as unit 1 is only 4-6% of the entire AP exam, you'll more likely benefit from focusing on larger ideas presented such as cause-and-effect relationships seen throughout this unit. 

──── ୨୧ ──── thanks for reading!!!