Natives Societies of

North America and

their Environment

Arctic/Subarctic

Climate: freezing
Native tools: Bows, arrows, spears, snowshoes large knives
Men hunt and women fished and cut dried meat
Hunted moose musk oxen and fish; gathered berries
Wore light clothing but built fires to keep warm
Winter clothes were made of rabbit skins

Californian
Climate: warm & dry
Native tools: Bows, arrows, paddles, nets
Natives, such as Miwok, wore pieces of deerskin as clothing
Hunted rabbits, beaver, squirrels, fish, and deer as meat
Houses made of layers of bark & mud slabs leaning against each other in a cone shape

Northeast Woodland
Climate: extreme; warm during summer but very cold during winter.
Natives tools: Bows, arrow, lances, traps, snares and deadfalls.
Men hunted and fished and women were in charge in farming and gathering of berries;
women also harvested rice/ maple sap to make maple sugar.
Natives such as Iroquois hunted: raccoon, bear , moose, whale , squirrel also gathered edible
plants.

Southeast

Rich soil that helped with farming; Climate: warm

Three tribes: Creek, Choctaw, Cherokee
Lived in Wattle and Daub houses made by weaving wood
Gather small animals like rabbits and turkeys. They farm a lot such as tomatoes, sweet potatoes,
cotton, and tobacco
They wore light and bright colored clothes made out of moss and wool
Tools: Bows, arrows, and canoes

Southwest
Climate: very dry and water is hard to find
Tribes: Pueblo, Navajo, and Apache relies on agriculture
Natives lived in Adobe homes which are made out of clay and straw bricks. The adobe homes
were connected to each other
Farmers grew 24 types food including beans, melons, pumpkins, maize and fruit.
The natives barely wore any clothes because it hot and dry, and they used hair to cover up.

Great Plains

High grass with rivers, lakes, and forests; climate: could be hot, warm, and cold
Tribes were divided in 50-100 natives.
Natives relies on hunting buffalos, deer, moose and rabbits, and collected berries and fished
Houses were cone-like shapes of buffalo skin and they were called Tipis.
Tools: bows, arrows, and spears.

Plateau
Rocky mountains, forest, rivers; climate: cold
There was 3 tribes: Carrier, Secwepemc, and Ktunaxa.
Natives relied on hunting deer, bears, coyote, fox, beaver, and marmot. Women gathered
berries and roots.
Tools: root digging stick, hides, scrapers, and fish spears

Northwest Coast

Natives Americans lived in plank houses that were made out of cedar wood
Natives hunted seals, fish, salmon, sea otters, fish and whales
The clothing was made out of cedar bark because it shielded people from rain and wind.
Tribes like Chinook, Tillamook, and Salish lived in a very rocky soil, so there was no farming.

Great Basin
This area is dry with dark lakes
Natives hunted rabbits, bison, salmon, and women gathered roots and berries.
2 type of shelter for summer and winter: Semicircular brush windbreaks for summer, and as
for winter: brush, bark, and grass.

- Based on the graphic organizers, our group recommends that the refugees
relocate to the Great Plains. More specifically, the Sam Houston National Forest,
which is part of Texas. Texas is located in the southernmost part of the Great
Plains. The climate is relatively comfortable year round because there are no
extremes like in the Arctic and Southwestern regions. Additionally, natural
resources can be found close by and are evenly spread out in the Great Plains. Our
Central American refugees can follow the natives example by supporting
themselves through hunting deer and gathering berries, and fishing at nearby
lakes or rivers.
- The Central American climate is dictated by wet seasons and dry seasons,
where the temperature is usually the same year round. The normal temperature
in Central America is about 82 degrees Fahrenheit. This is similar to the climate of
the Great Plains because this region has few weather extremities. Also, the
humidity of Houston will not be such a shock to the refugees since they are
already used to warm and wet climates. Thus, the refugees will adapt quickly due
to the forests similar climate as Central America, and because of all the resources
that are available. The forest provides lakes and rivers, and the refugees are able
to fish and hunt deer.

Natives

Central Americans

- Modern technology available

-Spoke different languages

-Smaller groups of 50-100
individuals
-Hunted squirrels & bison

-Hunt only deer and fish

Resource availability
Great Plains climate
Hunted for food

-Built their own fishing rods

-Spiritual rituals

Nomadic type of
shelter

- Majority of population speaks

Spanish
-Lives in tents
-Follows set of laws & constitution
-Has a set government
-Population of 1,000,000 refugees