America’s First People!

Native Americans were the first people to live in North America. They are believed to be descendants of people from Asia who crossed into North America on a land bridge (the Bering Strait) that connected the two continents during the Ice Age, but is now gone.

The Native Americans settled into different regions and each tribe adapted to its own environment. Tribes formed larger groups, learned how to talk with one another, began hunting, farming and trading. Then, about 500 years ago, European explorers arrived and began to form settlements. Many of the Native Americans got along with the newly arrived settlers and they lived in peace. But, there were also conflicts between some of the North American tribes and settlers (more so in areas of the U.S.). During the 1800s, many Native Americans were assigned to areas called reservations or reserves. Today, less than half of the Native American population still lives in these areas. Read the clues to learn about some Native American history and to fill in the puzzle.

1. made from deer hides and other animal skins

2. made from animal skins; used in ceremonies, at wartime

3. made with birch or other tree bark; used to travel long distances on water and when hunting

4. sap of this tree was drained; hot rocks used to boil it down to a sugar

5. soft leather and fur shoes, some with bead patterns; tribes had their own styles and designs

6. leather, ceramic beads, feathers, tortoise shells and copper used for making this

7. powerful leaders and healers wore these; more bird feathers added for great feats

8. used for smoking tobacco in ceremonies; often given as a gesture of peace

9. some of the most important foods grown, the “three sisters”: beans, corn and ________

10. common shelter of the plains; hunting tribes used them; warm in winter’s cold, cool in summer heat

11. people who healed and helped their communities were called ________ people

12. shelter that could hold many families