Topic 2Earliest Indians

Lesson 2: Indians of the Great Plains

INTRO

Earliest Indians left no written history however, during the 19th century ( or the 1800’s) this began to change. Possible reasons for the change:▪ Contact with European settlers made them

want to make sure later generations would know about their history, culture, and traditions.▪ Indians learned to speak English or Spanish

because as more Europeans invaded their territory, they needed to be able to communicate with them.

Land

High mountains and plains, deep canyons and lakes

Nevada and Utah, most of western Colorado, portions of southern Oregon, Idaho, and Wyoming, southeastern California, and northern Arizona and New Mexico.

Climate

Average climate: summer temperatures

are high (often over 100 degrees)

winters are cold (temperatures sometimes falling to 20 degrees below zero),

The amount of rainfall varies dramatically from year to year.

Cont.

The Paiute lived and survived in a land where many others died. They were able to adapt to the climate

and lack of food.

Their land was sacred (holy) to them.

Culture

The women were gatherers and the men were hunters.

The amount of plant life was scarce, so were the animals available for hunting therefore:

They dug for anything edible - seeds, nuts, berries, roots, snakes, lizards, insects and rodents - referred to as "diggers".

They lived in small traveling groups that continued their paths searching for food. 

Culture cont.

Autumn was the best time of the year for Paiute Indians They gathered together in a large group

for the pinecone harvest. Told stories, danced, sang, and had a

good time.

Review Questions

1. Where is the Great Basin? What is the climate like?

2. Who are the Indians who lived in the Great Basin? How did they live?

3. What was the best time of year for the Paiute? Why?

Homework

Recording a Life Imagine that you are a Paiute Indian who has been taught to write in English by missionaries, solders, or settlers. Write a diary entry (a paragraph) describing your everyday activities.