1500-1799 Suggested Activities for "Historic Tribes"
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Pre 8th grade level: (Each link below will open a new window. Simply close it to come back here.)

Terms. Based on the stories in this section and the previous one -- as well as the Native Nebraska Timeline -- have the students define the following terms:

Then have students draw a map of Nebraska that includes the location of the following Protohistoric Cultures and Historic Tribes:

  • Dismal River culture
  • Lower Loup culture
  • Redbird culture
  • Ponca Tribe
  • Omaha Tribe
  • Oto and Missouria Tribes
  • Yutan Indian site
  • Eagle Ridge site

Standard 4.2. Standard 4.9. Standard 4.12. Standard 8.1.1. Standard 8.1.10. NRWS 4.1.3. NRWS 4.1.4. NRWS 4.1.7. NRWS 4.1.8. NRWS 4.2.4. NRWS 4.2.5. NRWS 8.1.2. NRWS 8.1.6. NRWS 8.1.7. NRWS 8.2.4. NRWS 8.2.5. NSS 4.1.2. NSS 4.2.1. NSS 4.6.2. NSS 8.4.4. NSS 8.7.2.

Bison. Identify the various uses Native Americans made of bison parts. Divide your list into the following categories and include a description of what part of the bison was used to make each item:

  • tools used for agricultural purposes
  • weapons
  • clothing
  • items related to transportation

Standard 4.2. Standard 4.12. Standard 8.1.9. Standard 8.1.10. NRWS 4.1.3. NRWS 4.1.4. NRWS 4.1.7. NRWS 4.1.8. NRWS 4.2.4. NRWS 4.2.5. NRWS 8.1.2. NRWS 8.1.6. NRWS 8.1.7. NRWS 8.2.4. NRWS 8.2.5. NSS 4.1.2. NSS 4.2.1. NSS 4.4.2. NSS 8.4.4. NSS 8.7.2

Artifacts. Select three Indian artifacts from the photographs with the stories in this section and use the National Archives and Records Administration's "Artifact Analysis Worksheet" to analyze the artifacts.
Standard 4.2. Standard 4.12. Standard 8.1.9. NRWS 4.1.3. NRWS 4.1.4. NRWS 4.1.7. NRWS 4.1.8. NRWS 4.2.4. NRWS 4.2.5. NRWS 8.1.2. NRWS 8.1.6. NRWS 8.1.7. NRWS 8.2.4. NRWS 8.2.5. NSS 4.1.2. NSS 4.2.1. NSS 4.5.1. NSS 4.6.2. NSS 4.8. NSS 8.4.4. NSS 8.7.2. NSS 8.2

8th grade and older:

Migration. Have students compare and contrast time periods on the map of migration of native people between A. D. 1000 and 1600. Then on a separate, blank Nebraska map locate early Indian archaeological sites and identify the artifacts excavated from these sites. Answer the following questions:

  • Why do you suppose there are so few Native American archaeological sites indicated for the time period A. D. 1400-1600?
  • What geographic features appear to influence where the various tribes located their villages? Identify some of the geographic features that attract Indian settlements. Do these same geographic features also attract European settlers?
  • Explain what the study of these three maps tells us about human migration and cultural interaction. Are there also environmental, social, economic or political factors that may have influenced the migrations?

Standard 12.1.5. Standard 12.1.11. Standard 12.2.1. Standard 12.2.2. Standard 12.2.3. Standard 12.2.5. Standard 12.2.9. Standard 12.2.15. Standard 12.3. Standard 12.3.15. Standard 12.3.17. NRWS 12.1.1. NRWS 12.1. NRWS 12.1.6. NRWS 12.2.4. NRWS 12.2.5. NSS 12.2.1. NSS 12.4.4. NSS 12.7.2. NSS 12.7.5. . NSS 12.2. NSS 12.2.1. NSS 12.7.2. NSS 12.7.3. NSS 12.7.6. NSS 12.8.2.

Eagle Ridge. Have students analyze the images of the artifacts excavated at the Eagle Ridge Site and complete the following activities:

  1. Draw a picture of each image you can identify, indicate the use made of the image, and whether it was made by a European or a Native American.
  2. What generalizations can you make about Indian life based on the artifacts recovered?

Standard 12.1.11. Standard 12.2.2. Standard 12.2.3. Standard 12.2.5. Standard 12.2.6. Standard 12.2.9. Standard 12.2.15. NRWS 12.1.1. NRWS 12.1. NRWS 12.1.6. NRWS 12.2.5. NRWS 12. NSS 12.2. NSS 12.2.1. NSS 12.7.2. NSS 12.7.3. NSS 12.7.6. NSS 12.8.2.

Artifacts. Ask students to select five Indian artifacts and use the National Archives and Records Administration's "Artifact Analysis Worksheet" to analyze the artifacts.
Standard 12.1.11. Standard 12.2.5. Standard 12.2.6. Standard 12.2.9. Standard 12.2.15. Standard 12.3.17. NRWS 12.1.1. NRWS 12.1. NRWS 12.1.6. NRWS 12.2.4. NRWS 12.2.5. NSS 12.2.1. NSS 12.4.4. NSS 12.7.2. NSS 12.7.5. . NSS 12.2. NSS 12.2.1. NSS 12.7.2. NSS 12.7.3. NSS 12.7.6. NSS 12.8.2.

Artifacts, Part 2. Ask students to examine the images of trade goods used by the Pawnee. Ask them to discuss the following questions: How did these European goods make life easier for the Native Americans? What did Indians use for axes, containers to cook in, fish hooks, etc. before they traded with the Europeans? Compare and contrast the use of stone tools with the use of bone tools. Would tools made of bone or tools made of stone be more effective? How would the environment help determine which materials you used to make tools? Compare and contrast the iron hoe with the bison shoulder blade hoe. Which do you think would be a more effective implement to use in cultivating crops? Why? How did trade with Europeans affect the tools used by Native Americans?
Standard 12.1.11. Standard 12.2.5. Standard 12.2.6. Standard 12.2.9. Standard 12.2.15. Standard 12.3.17. NRWS 12.1.1. NRWS 12.1. NRWS 12.1.6. NRWS 12.2.4. NRWS 12.2.5. NSS 12.2.1. NSS 12.4.4. NSS 12.7.2. NSS 12.7.5. . NSS 12.2. NSS 12.2.1. NSS 12.7.2. NSS 12.7.3. NSS 12.7.6. NSS 12.8.2.