Native Americans Native Americans of the of the

Southeast Southeast of North Americaof North America

The southeastern Native The southeastern Native American tribes stretched the American tribes stretched the Ohio River to the Gulf of Mexico Ohio River to the Gulf of Mexico and central Texas to the Atlantic and central Texas to the Atlantic Ocean.Ocean.

Do youDo yourecognizerecognizesome ofsome ofthe tribesthe tribesyou you learned learned about about last year last year in in South South Carolina Carolina History??History??

This land was a mixture of This land was a mixture of forests and grasslands.forests and grasslands.

 

                                               

      

Many shelters existed among the Many shelters existed among the various tribes including: grass various tribes including: grass huts, wooden houses, chickees, huts, wooden houses, chickees, and adobe dwellings.and adobe dwellings.

An artist rendition of the (excavated) Cherokee village of An artist rendition of the (excavated) Cherokee village of *Toqua as it may have looked before the adaptation of log *Toqua as it may have looked before the adaptation of log

homes. homes.

Near present day Florida

Chickee - traditional Seminole housing

Most Southeastern Native Most Southeastern Native American homes were rectangular American homes were rectangular or square based with thatched or square based with thatched roofs using wattle and daubroofs using wattle and daub

These people primarily farmed These people primarily farmed small fields of corn, beans, and small fields of corn, beans, and squashsquash

They also hunted and They also hunted and gatheredgathered

hunting was a critical source of food hunting was a critical source of food and materialsand materials with deer being the primary with deer being the primary game animal and providing meat, skins, game animal and providing meat, skins, hooves, and bone for many uses. Although a hooves, and bone for many uses. Although a man might hunt deer by himself, deer were man might hunt deer by himself, deer were also hunted by groups of men using both fire also hunted by groups of men using both fire

and dogs.and dogs.

Bears were also hunted (for their Bears were also hunted (for their meat fat, which was rendered into meat fat, which was rendered into oil), as were opossums, squirrels, oil), as were opossums, squirrels, rabbits, turkeys, waterfowl, rabbits, turkeys, waterfowl, insects, crabs, crawfish, shellfish, insects, crabs, crawfish, shellfish, and fish.and fish.

    About 4000 years ago, there About 4000 years ago, there were many different were many different Southeastern Indian tribes. Southeastern Indian tribes.

They each had a They each had a structured structured government.government.-- tended to live in cabins in villages of about 100 which included a chief

Each tribe was divided into a Each tribe was divided into a small number of clans. Clans small number of clans. Clans were related people. When a were related people. When a baby was born, he or she baby was born, he or she belonged to the mother's clan. belonged to the mother's clan. Laws varied, but some laws Laws varied, but some laws were the same in all tribes. were the same in all tribes. One such law was that you One such law was that you could not marry someone from could not marry someone from your own clan. your own clan.

They spoke different They spoke different languages and languages and dialects. Some knew dialects. Some knew each other. Some did each other. Some did

not.not. The members of the southeastern culture practiced many of the same ceremonies, including the green corn dance, told many of the same stories, had similar religious beliefs, but were nonetheless, often at war with each other.

They were artistic, clever They were artistic, clever people. They produced colorful people. They produced colorful art using natural dyes. art using natural dyes.

They made basket from natural They made basket from natural fibers to haul food and store fibers to haul food and store goods. goods.

They used shells to make They used shells to make really sharp knives. really sharp knives.

They created incredible They created incredible beadwork. beadwork.

These early people were great These early people were great story tellers. They were story tellers. They were knowledgeable about herbs and knowledgeable about herbs and natural medicines. Knowledge was natural medicines. Knowledge was handed down orally from one handed down orally from one generation to the next. generation to the next.

The Southeast people believed in honor. The Southeast people believed in honor. They believed in many gods and They believed in many gods and goddesses, deities to whom they prayed in goddesses, deities to whom they prayed in song and dance for help and guidance. song and dance for help and guidance. They had some very interesting customs, They had some very interesting customs,

and some very beautiful ones.and some very beautiful ones.

The primary goal of religious belief The primary goal of religious belief and practice was the maintenance and practice was the maintenance of purity and harmony. Most towns of purity and harmony. Most towns had an eternal sacred fire burning had an eternal sacred fire burning in a temple, symbolizing continuity in a temple, symbolizing continuity and harmony. and harmony.

The major religious observances in The major religious observances in the Southeast were for planting the Southeast were for planting and harvest, Green Corn Dance (or and harvest, Green Corn Dance (or Busk), the major ceremony held by Busk), the major ceremony held by Southeastern peoples Southeastern peoples

The highlight of the The highlight of the buskbusk was the was the ingestion of the "Black Drink," a ingestion of the "Black Drink," a purgative which cleaned out the purgative which cleaned out the drinkers as they had cleaned out drinkers as they had cleaned out their houses and town. their houses and town.