Native American History - 1 st lesson-

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Native American History

Native Americans lived in the United States for a very long time before Christopher Columbus discovered America. You can read about their amazing culture and learn about the things they love like music, Art and different types of homes. They have many different tribes and we give you a quick overview of these. There are many famous Native Americans like Jim Thorpe, Pocahontas and Sitting Bull.

Native American Homes

There were many Native American tribes through North America. The homes they built were as varied as they were. Their homes often reflected the region in which they lived, their climate, and the nature of their life. Three of the most recognized Native American homes were the teepee, the longhouse, and the pueblo.




The teepee is the Native American home that you’ve probably seen in movies. It is probably the most famous of all Native American homes. The word comes from the Lakota word “thipi,” which means “dwelling.” These were most common on the Great Plains of the central United States. They were tent-shaped and were usually covered with buffalo skins. Teepees were useful for tribes were moved a lot because they could easily be taken apart. They were usually about twelve feet tall. Later, however, as the Plains Indians became horsemen, they built them twice as tall. They were meant to be portable, and could be taken apart very quickly.

Teepees were simple, but cleverly designed. The opening at the top of the teepee had a flap. When fires were burned inside the teepee, the flap could be opened to let smoke escape. Think of it---it was almost like a chimney!

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