Subartic

The Subartic region was the northernmost region in Ancient North America. It was also the coldest and one of the harshest. The indians of this region also fished a lot, using canoes and spears. They also hunted moose, seals, and polar bears. They lived in igloos, dome shaped houses made of snow and ice. They also made lots of thick clothing made of animal hides. The well known tribes of the Subartic were the Inuit (Eskimo), Aleut, Cree, and Paleo.

Paleo indians killing a mammoth

Pacific Northwest

The Pacific Northwest is located in the northwest United States, mostly Oregon and Washington State. The indians of this region were skilled seamen and fishermen. This region is also the home of the totem poles. Yep, that's right, the indians of this region were the inventors of the totem pole. Totem poles were not religious, as many whites thought them to be. They represented a family's wealth, and were made quite often. Fish was the most plentiful wild game in this region, so the indians living here ate it often. They used well crafted canoes to fish. The well known tribes of the Pacific Northwest were the Chinook, Haida, Tlingit, Tsimshian, Kwakiutl, Bella Coola, Nuuchahnulth, Quinault, Quileute, Chehalis, Makah, Salish, Chimakum, Lummi, Klallam, Tillamook, and Alsea.

Chinook indians by Mount Hood, Oregon

California

California was by far the most diverse region in ancient North America. Many different languages were spoken in this region, and there were many different tribes. The California indians loved to hunt, fish, and craft. They are especially known for their basketry and weaving skills. There were many popular wild game in this region, including, fish, hawks, eagles, small birds, coyotes, deer, bears, and lizards. There was also a bountiful supply of wild plants and berries. The California indians lived in tepeis made of sticks, brush, and vines. They were also skilled seamen, just like the indians of the Pacific Northwest. The well known tribes of California were the Karuk, Yurok, Wiyot, Shasta, Serrano, Hupa, Yuki, Maidu, Pomo, Costanoan, Miwok, Modoc, Yokut, Chumash, Luiseno, Cahuilla, Gabrielino, Yuma, Mojave, and Cocopa.

Shasta indians at their settlement

Great Basin and Plateau

The Great Basin and Plateau was a region west of the Great Plains and north of the Southwest. This region was almost completely made up of deserts. The climate was very dry, so food could be scarce at times. The Great Basin and Plateau indians lived in small homes made of sticks and brush. Popular wild game in this region were rabbits, moles, hawks, deer, coyotes, and small birds. A technique commonly used by the Paiute, a Great Basin tribe, to kill rabbits and moles was to flood the animal's burrow and shoot it when it came up. The most popular hunting tools in this region were the bow and arrow and jawbone tomahawks. The tribes of this region rarely waged war. The well known tribes of the Great Basin and Plateau were the Nez Perce, Paiute, Shoshone, Bannock, Mono, Lehmi, Ute, Chemehuevi, Washo, Klamath, Cayuse, Flathead, Yakima, Klikitat, Walla Walla, and Umatilla.

Paiute indians at their settlement

  

Southwest

The Southwest was the region south of the Great Plains and west of the Southeast Woodlands. Mostly desert, the temperature was hot during the day and cold during the night. The Southwest cultures are some of the oldest, dating back to 12,000 years ago. Clay was very plentiful in this region, so most homes were apartments made of clay. Deer was a very popular wild game in this region, and was often hunted for food. The Southwest indians also used deer hide to make clothing, and its bones to make tools and weapons. The Southwest indians are also known for their exotic pottery. Like all other regions in North America, the tomahawk was a popular weapon, but the most popular weapons of the Southwest were the bow and arrow and daggers made of deer bone. Most of the tribes in the Southwest were pueblo, but the Navajo and the Apache were nomads. White settlers feared the Apache because of the Apache's ferocity towards them. The well known tribes of the Southwest were the Navajo, Apache, Hopi, Zuni, Anasazi, Taos, San Felipe, Santo Domingo, Acoma, Laguna, Pima, Papago, Yavapai, Havasupai, and Yaqui.

Apache "Devil Dance"

Great Plains

The Great Plains was by far the largest area of ancient America. This region was made up of flat grasslands and open prairies. They lived in tepeis made of buffalo hide. Now, why do people today think of the Great Plains when they think of Native Americans? Well, it's because these indians fought fiercely for their lands when settlers moved westward. Much of the contact the Great Plains indians had with whites have been depicted on TV, in movies, and in artwork. The indians of this region were nomadic, setting a lifestyle around hunting buffalo. Buffalo was by far the most popular wild game of this region. The Great Plains indians would not only eat buffalo, they would also use its hides to make robes and clothing, and its horns and bones to make tools and weapons. The most popular hunting tools of this region were the bow and arrow and lances. The well known tribes of the Great Plains were the Sioux (Dakota and Lakota), Crow, Blackfoot, Cheyenne, Pawnee, Arapaho, Sarsi, Comanche, Kiowa, Mandan, Hidatsa, Iowa, Oto, Missouri, Omaha, Ponca, Osage, Kansa, Wichita, Caddo, and Arikara.

Sioux indian herding horses

Southeast Woodlands

The Southeast Woodlands is the region south of the Northeast Woodlands. Also surrounded by forests, but much more humid, the Southeast Woodlands was home to a lot of wild game. The indians of this region often lived in huts made of straw and sticks or cabins made of logs. The women farmed, and the men hunted. Popular hunting tools of the Southeast Woodlands were the bow and arrow and the atlatl. A popular game in this region was Lacrosse, sometimes called "War's little brother". The well known tribes of the Southeast Woodlands were the Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek, Chickasaw, Seminole, Natchez, Catawba, Tutelo, and Yuchi. Unfortunately, 15,000 Cherokees were forced from their lands in 1838 so whites could obtain the gold found on their property. The Cherokees called this journey "The Trail of Tears". One third of their entire population died on The Trail of Tears due to disease and starvation.

"The Trail of Tears"