Chapter 2

Native Americans

Origins

Many scientists believe that Indians’ came from Asia during the last ice age.

The ancestors of these Indians crossed the land that connected Asia and North America, arriving in N.C. about 14,000 years ago.

Knowledge of early Native American cultures comes from Archaeologists, scientists who study artifacts left by ancient civilizations.

Pre-Contact Cultures

Cultures that existed before the Europeans arrived

Paleo Indians

Paleo: very old or long ago.

• Nomadic hunters who hunted large animals such as:

mammothscamels early type of bison

Archaic Indians

Archaic: old.

• hunted smaller animals using an atlatl.

• fished and gathered plants, nuts, fruit, and roots for food.

Woodland Indians• developed the bow and arrow

• hunters

• grew crops such as corn, squash, gourds and sunflowers

• built permanent villages made with grass roofs

• created clay pottery to store and serve food

Mississippian Indians

• farmers

• held ceremonies for planting and harvesting

• built ceremonial centers

Post-Contact Cultures

The largest tribes were the:

• Tuscarora

• Catawba

• Cherokee

lived in the Coastal Plain

lived in the Piedmont and Southern Coastal Plain

lived in the Mountains

Three main language groups:

• Algonquian

• Iroquoian

• Siouan

spoken by Chowanoc, Moratoc, Pamlico, Roanoac

spoken by the Tuscarora and Cherokee

spoken by the Catawba

Plants

• Native Americans used plants:• For food

• To fight disease, and

• To bring healing

• Corn:• Was the main source of food

• Most important plant

How Native Americans Lived

The Family

Most of the Indians of North Carolina had a mother-centered family system

Within this family system, a child was related by blood only to the mother.

Food

The main crop was corn.

Other crops that they grew include:

Squash

Pumpkins

Beans, and

Sunflowers

The main fruit tree that they grew was the peach.