Three Cultural Regions of America Before Colonization Essay Example for Free

Three Cultural Regions of America Before Colonization Essay The three cultural regions of North America preceding colonization were the southwest, south, and Northeast. In these three cultural regions, there were several different groups of people that occupy the land. The Southwest region has the Pueblo Peoples or Pueblos. The south region has the Cherokee. The northeast has the Algonquians. The Pueblo peoples or the Pueblos settled mainly on the east of the Grand Canyon. The Pueblos traditional homes were made from the sandstone, which was held in place with mud. The houses were stocked up together as defense in mind. There were several groups that made up the pueblo peoples. The Pueblos spoke several dialects but one thing they all had in common was their affection and commitment to their land and their villages. Each Pueblo peoples clan and secret religious societies have their own political independence but still followed the same communal pattern. Various leaders from the clans and the religious societies formed the governing systems of the Pueblo villages. The Pueblos relied on farming. They grew corn, squash, beans and pumpkins. The Southwest region was extremely dry but they were still able to get irrigation sources from the several rivers that flowed out from the mountains. The Pueblos have several ceremonies and rituals which involves dancing, singing, chanting, and impersonations. The rituals and ceremonies were performed for marking important events, celebrating planting and harvesting, and to pray for rain. The Cherokees settled mainly on the high mountains. The Cherokees traditional homes typically have two separate houses that were designed to fit the changing climate. The Cherokees were one of the largest groups in the south region. The women often played a great role on the group. They were responsible for the household and clan was passed on through mothers, also known as the matrilineal kinship system. The group was not ruled by class or kings. Elderly men governed the tribe but the women were as powerful and influential leaders of the community. Although the south enjoys the climate suitable for farming, it was not as important as hunting. As the women tended crops in the fields, the men provided for the family by hunting and fishing. As the men hunt, the female farmed. The main concerns for the Cherokees were sustaining harmony. The Cherokees have rituals and ceremonies that balance in the world and help maintained harmony. When a hunter killed a deer, he performs a ritual as a sign of apology. They perform a ceremony called the Green Corn Ceremony, which symbolizes as a thanksgiving celebration for the harvest and a sign of new beginnings. The Algonquians settled mainly in the woodland sections of Atlantic and around the Great Lakes. The Algonquians built their villages near rivers and lakes and were usually very small. Traditional homes were built dome-shaped. Young Trees, or saplings, were used to build frames. Most of the communities were independent. There were approximately over fifty Algonquians tribes, which were separated into smaller groups called the bands. The bands were consisted of several extended families who belongs to same villages and each had a chief. The Algonquians hunted, fished and farmed. The Algonquians were experts on farming. They planted beans, corns, squash, pumpkins, sunflowers, and tobaccos. The Algonquians believed in supreme spirit. The Spirit was believed to have helped them grow crops and hunt for food. They had ceremonies held at different times such as planting season, harvest time, and hunting season. They danced, sing, and played instruments. Tobacco was used at these ceremonies because the Algonquians believed that the smoke had the ability to take their messages to the supreme spirits. Faragher, John M. Buhle, Mari Jo, Czitrom, Daniel, Armitage, Susan Out of Many Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, c2009 Perdue, Theda Indians of North America: The Cherokee United States of America: Chelsea House Publishers, c1989 Santella, Andrew First NAtions of North America: Southeast Indians Chicago, IL: Heinenabb Library an imprint of Capstone Global Library, LLC, c2012 Broida, Marian First Americans: The Pueblo Tarrytown, New York: Marshall Cavendish Corporation, c2006 Kellogg, William O. American History: The Easy Way United States of America: Barrons Educational Series, Inc, c2003 Quiri, Patricia R. The Algonquian United States of America: Franklin Watts, c1992