Native American CulturesEarly Societies in North America

Social Studies 7Mr. Donnelly

Do Now: If you were there!You are living in the North American

Southwest about 1000 years ago. You have been working in the fields for several hours today. The maize (corn) crop looks good this summer, and you are hoping for a successful harvest. After finishing your work, you walk home. The opening to your house is in a cliff wall 30 feet above a canyon floor, You must use ladders to get to the opening of your home.

Question: Do you like the location of your home? Why?

Anasazi Cliff DwellingThese dwellings were built into cliffs for safety. Often, ladders were needed to reach the buildings. The ladders could be removed, preventing invaders from reaching and entering these dwellings

Learning Objective: The Big IdeasSeveral early societies developed in

North America long before Europeans explored the continent

Geographic areas influenced Native American cultures

Native American cultures shared beliefs about religion and land ownership

PueblosPueblos are aboveground houses made of a

heavy clay (dried earth) called adobe

Question to Consider:Since pueblos were made of adobe, which is dried earth, do you think adobe would have been a good building material for people living in a humid, wet environment or an area with a lot of rainfall?

Why?

KivasKivas are underground ceremonial chambers

at the center of each Anasazi community

TotemsTotems are ancestor or animal spirits of the

Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest

TeepeesTeepees are cone-shaped shelters made of

animal hides by the nomadic plains people

MatrilinealMatrilineal is a society that traces ancestry

through mothers

Iroquois LeagueThe Iroquois League was an alliance of

Native Americans in northeastern North America

The HaudenosauneeThe Iroquois were known as the

HaudenosauneeThey lived in large, narrow dwellings known

as a Longhouse, made up of lumber and covered by tree bark

Activity: Turn and Talk! Which type of Native American Dwelling do you believe was the best?

The Cliff Dwelling Pueblo of the Anasazi?

The Teepee made of animal hide?The Longhouse?Why?

Additional terms:Confederation: An alliance

Nomadic: TravellingRaid: To attack or invade