The native tribes were the original Americans who traversed the land bridge between Asia

and the American continent some ten to twenty thousand years. As these new Americans
moved east to south the traditions hunting and gathering, long houses and adaptability
followed them. These similarities are common among the five tribal groups discussed in
Annenberg Learner interactive tour of Native Tribes,
www.learner.org/interactive/historymap/indians.html. In this brief discussion, I will to describe
some of the characteristics of each group and the the tribes within each grouping. I will also
discuss the legacy of the Native Tribes.
As the new Americans moved west to east, the first group of tribes encountered are the
Arctic, Northwest Coast, and California tribes. The Arctic tribes comprise the Aleuts who live on
the Aleutian Islands and the coastal region of southwestern Alaska, the Inuit who lived along
the harsh arctic coast of Alaska and the Tlingit who lived on the islands and coast of southern
Alaska. The Northwest Coast tribe consisted only of the Chinook who lived along the Columbia
river in northwest Oregon. Finally the California tribes which was composed of the Pomo who
lived in the coastal and inland areas of California and the Chumash who lived on the Channel
Islands and Santa Monica mountains of California. All these tribes were similar in that they all
lived close to water and food supplies, were hunter gatherers and utilized trade. The Aleuts
lived in longhouses perched on high points above bays and rivers. The Inuits lived in igloos
during the winter period, were nomadic and used sled dogs for travel. The Tlingit were known
for their totem poles and the Pomo were a peaceful people who respected land boundaries.
The Chinook assisted Lewis and Clark in their travels along the Columbia River. Most tribes used
canoes for travel. The Chumash were Matriarchal, both men and women could be Chiefs.
The next group to discuss is the Plateau, Great Basin and Southwest tribes. The Nez Parce
tribe inhabited Washington, Oregon and Idaho and the Yakima lived in central Washington in
the Plateau region. The Great Basin area was made up of the Paiute who inhabited California,
Utah, Oregon, Nevada and Arizona, the Shoshone who were comprised of three groups which
lived in Utah, Nevada and Wyoming and the Ute who lived in Utah and California. The
Southwest tribes are the Apache, Navajo and Pueblo tribes who resided in southwest New
Mexico and Arizona areas. Again all of these tribes were hunter gatherers but what
distinguished them from the previous group is the addition of farming, pottery making, weaving
and the use of horses. The Nez Parce lived in longhouses and also assisted Lewis and Clark. The
climate dictated the Yakima housing. The Utes were very spiritual whose religion surrounded
nature. They might be considered Americas first environmentalists. The Pueblo established
permanent residences in adobe apartments and used irrigation to supply crops with water.
What is central to this group is that they lived in a harsh environment with limited resources
and most tribes were nomadic and followed buffalo and deer herds.
The third group is the Plains tribe. They are the Arapaho who lived in Colorado, Kansas,
Nebraska and Wyoming, the Cheyenne who occupied the Dakotas, Wyoming, Nebraska,
Colorado and Kansas, the Comanche who lived in Texas and New Mexico, the Crow who lived in
Montana, the Pawnee who lived in Nebraska and the Sioux who lived in the Dakotas,
Minnesota and Nebraska. These tribes subsisted on the buffalo and used tepees as temporary
housing to pursue them. The Arapahoe were nomadic and experts at the use of bows and
arrows. The Cheyenne pulled their home behind horses and used Plains Sign Language for
barter. The Comanche were expert toolmakers and fierce warriors. They were the first plains

tribe to use horses. Their government was comprised of twelve autonomous groups with no
central leadership. Conflict was common among the group and other tribes. The Crow acted as
middlemen between trading parties. Pawnee women had a key role in trade and distribution of
goods. The Arapahoe and Cheyenne were victims of the Sand Creek Massacre. The Cheyenne
and Sioux defeated Custer.
The next group the Northeast tribes consisted of the Abenaki who lived in New Hampshire,
the Iroquois who lived in New York, the Lenape who lived in Delaware, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania and NewYork, the Massachuset who lived in Massachusetts, the Miami who lived
in Indiana and Ohio, the Pequot who lived in Connecticut, the Powhatan who lived in Virginia
and Maryland and the Shawnee who lived in Ohio and Indiana. These tribes were
hunter/gatherers who were also farmers and trappers. They lived in fortified homes and
longhouses in forested areas. The Abenaki lived in protected structures called palisades. The
Iroquois lived in longhouses which were semi-permanent and were moved when the soil was
exhausted. The Lenape were fierce warriors. The Powhatan was a confederacy of 30 tribes and
was most famous for Pocahontas, Chief Powhatans daughter.
The final group is the Southeast Tribes. They consist of the Cherokee from Georgia and the
Carolinas, the Chickasaw who inhabited Mississippi, Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama, the
Choctaw who lived in the Mississippi valley and parts of Alabama, the Creek who lived in
Georgia and Alabama, the Natchez who lived in Mississippi and the Seminole who occupied
Florida. Agriculture was the primary focus of the tribes. The Cherokee developed an eighty
symbol language and used printing to teach its citizens. The Chickasaw used a council house for
meetings, religious ceremonies and games. The Choctaw were a Matriarchal society who saw
economic opportunities in the trade of livestock and goods. 4000 Cherokees lost their lives in
the Trail of Tears march to Oklahoma.
What is known about Americas first settlers is that they were victims of disease, exploitation
and slavery by Spanish, British, Russian and French explorers and settlers once Europe entered
the Age of Discovery. What is lesser known is that they assisted in the creation of this country
through their efforts as scouts, warriors and survival teachers. The battle of wounded had
reverberations in the 1970s.
Two questions:
What is the definition of savage and does it apply to Americas first inhabitants?
How did the was the European concept of nobility and Christianity used to subjugate Americas
first inhabitants.