The american west

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The great plains

The plains are grassland, it is a very hostile enviroment

- enormous size

- lack of trees

- little water available

- unpredictable weather

- ferocious winds

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Native americans

The native american were many tribes this includes Apache, Sioux, blackfeet and cheyenne, each led by an elder.

A native chief had no power over his people, but had great respect for people

Dog soldiers - broke camp, fed old and weak, stopped buffalo being scared away and controlled hunt

They didnt have strict laws, but enviroment meant they all had to work together, the only punishment was death

They practised polygamy

- whole tribe join together for buffalo hunt

- young braves thought it was an honour to feel old and weak

- old people commited exposure and wandered of and died so the tribe can carry on

- worst crimes were not looking after parents, hurting the sick

- horse stealing of other tribes was admired

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Native americans war

- war was based on ambush and skill

- no one was forced to go into war 

- aim of war was to capure horses and show bravery

- the bravest act was coup, where a warrior touched an enemy with a stick and escaped

- the native scalped their enemy to stop him going to the afterworld

- the main aim of war to stay alive

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Native american way of life

The native american were nomadic, they move 8 times a year and packed up their belongings in minutes, they had to follow buffalo migrations, they also believed in the great spirit and he wanted them to live a life on continual moving

They were also hunter gatherers, they asked the great spirit before picking up turnips from the land, they also hunted buffalos. The women spend their time decorating tipis and they also gathered food and looked after children.

The native american currency was horses instead of money

The native american lived in tipis because

- they were warm in winter and cool in summer

- they shape on the tipis protected them from winds

- they were easy to move and fit well into nomadic lifestyles

- they were circular and belived the power of world works in circles

- it was healthy

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Why were buffalo so important?

- the buffalo was the peoples main food

- dried buffalo meat called pemmican provided food to eat through winter

- buffalo bones provided marrow to eat

- buffalo bones were carved to make knive and boiled to make glue

- buffalo skin was also used to make tipis, clothes and bedding

- dried buffalo dung provided fuel for fires

- buffalo horns and hooves into cups

- buffalo fat was made into soaps

- the tongue was used as a hairbrush

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Native american religion and values

The native americans were very religious

- they did activites to please the great spirit

- a young man would take part in a ceremony to fast, self harm and see an animal that is a spirit friend

- the sun dance, which had a central pole representing the sun and young men hung themselves by their *******

- they had medicine men to talk to their spirits

- the native americans were lovers of nature , and they called the land their mother

- land was brought by great spirit to support mankind and couldn't be sold

- land didnt belong to anyone and belonged to all creatures

- land was eternal

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