Great PlainsBy E.I. See

Montgomery County Public Schools, MarylandCurriculum 2.0 - Grade 4 2012

Great Plains Natural Environment

The Great Plains is a vast expanse of rolling hills and prairie that extends north to south through the mid section of what is now the United States. It stretches north into present day Canada and is bordered to the west by the Rocky Mountains and to the east by the Mississippi River.

Great Plains Natural EnvironmentLong ago, this land was covered by a mixture of tall and shorter grasses that blanketed the land as far as the eye could see. The roots of these grasses were strong and deep. They kept the earth in place. Wildflowers dotted the Great Plains in springtime.

Great Plains Natural Environment

The Great Plains were home to many animals. Often in large herds, mammals such as buffalo (also known as bison), elk, sheep, and deer grazed the never-ending grassland. Other animals such as coyotes and wolves hunted on the plains, while still others such as rabbits, prairie dogs, and gophers nibbled on grass and flowers, all the while keeping a wary eye out for predators.

Great Plains Natural Environment

The weather varied widely on the Great Plains. Harsh, cold winters were contrasted by hot summers. In some areas of the plains, those summers were humid, while in others they were dry and dusty. The strong grasses of the Great Plains, however, kept the dust to a minimum.

Great Plains PeopleBefore the arrival of the Europeans to the Great Plains, many groups took advantage of the vast resources found there. The Crow, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Pawnee, and Comanche are some of the groups that inhabited the Great Plains.

Great Plains ClothingThe wildlife of the Great Plains supplied the people of the plains with the resources they needed to make clothing. Although clothing worn by each group was different in many ways, all people of the plains used the skins, pelts, and fur of the animals they hunted in some way. They also hunted these animals for meat, household items, shelter, weapons, and other purposes. No part of the animal went to waste. Most groups had rituals, prayers, or ceremonies to thank the animals for the resources they provided to the people.

CheyenneThe Cheyenne migrated to the Great Plains from the Eastern Woodlands region. They kept many of their ways of farming when they moved into the area that is now Minnesota and South Dakota. While living there, they began to hunt buffalo on the plains, but they did not hunt them extensively until they were introduced to horses after the arrival of Europeans.

CheyenneMost Cheyenne clothing was made of buckskin. This deer hide was much softer than the hide of the buffalo. They reserved the heavy, tough buffalo skins for teepee coverings, blankets, and warm winter robes that were draped over their shoulders. Buckskin clothing was used year round. They used buckskin to make leggings, dresses, jackets, and moccasins. Women prepared the animal skins to make clothing through a process called tanning. They wore buckskin dresses and leather boots while the men wore breechcloths, leggings, and moccasins. Often times, this clothing was decorated with porcupine quills, animal teeth, and shells. Shells may have been found in the rivers near their settlements, or could have been traded with other Native Americans societies who lived near the ocean.

Moccasins decorated with quills

Buckskin leggings

Pawnee

The Pawnee lived near rivers that flowed from the Missouri River to the east. They farmed such crops as pumpkin, corn, squash, and beans. They lived in earth lodges along the rivers, but abandoned their river villages during the hunting season when they set out to hunt buffalo, elk, bear, and panther.

Pawnee earth lodge

Pawnee

Although this drawing depicts a group of Pawnee after the arrival of Europeans, many of the clothing items that you see were traditional clothing for hundreds of years. The Pawnee wore deerskin boots with fringes along the sides. Men rarely wore shirts, but used robes made from buffalo hides to keep warm. The women wore long deerskin dresses. Both men and women often decorated their faces and bodies with paints.

PawneeMen often cut most of their hair, leaving just a bit on top to decorate with porcupine quills. These tufts of porcupine quills were often dyed bright colors. Other headwear had further cultural significance. One example is the otter fur turban, or cap. This was worn by the Pawnee chief (seen in the center below). It was decorated elaborately with painted symbols and sometimes feathers. A similar fur headband (seen on the left below) was worn by important warriors. It was not decorated like the chief’s cap. This headwear identified the important people in the society.

Crow The Crow lived on the northern plains in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. They were mostly hunters and followed the buffalo on the Great Plains. Before horses came to the region, they used dogs to help transport their supplies as they travelled. They were known for making the largest tipis in the region. Inside their large tipis there were buffalo hide benches to sit on and a fire in the middle to keep warm.

CrowBased on their hunting lifestyle, Crow clothing was made from animal skins. The styles of dress differed between men and women. Women wore long, simple dresses that were made from deer skins or buffalo skins. Sometimes, these were decorated with elk teeth. In the cold winters, they also wore leggings and moccasins.

Crow woman preparing animal skin

CrowThe clothing of Crow men was a bit more elaborate. They wore shirts, leggings with fringed edges, belts, and robes. Like the women, they also wore moccasins. Feathered war bonnets were also worn by men. Eagle feathers were earned for acts of bravery. These war bonnets were often decorated with fur and other colorful accents.

Painting of Crow hunters in traditional dress

Before horses came to the Great Plains, the Crow hunted

on foot

Photograph of Crow chief in

traditional feather war

bonnet

The Great Plains

The natural environment of the Great Plains provided food, clothing, and shelter for those societies who lived there. Whether the people farmed the land, hunted for elk, deer, and the all-important buffalo, or a combination of both, their needs were met through the land and the animals that lived on it.