Cultures, Traditions, Economies, and Governments

Our last lesson told you a little about the Native Americans. By 1492, there were more than 10 million of them. They spoke over 2,000 different languages. They had a rich history. They lived in different cultures. A culture is a group of people who share the same language, food, clothing and beliefs.

A thousand years BC, the Zuni and Hopi lived in terraced villages. They used irrigation canals. They made ceramics, wove baskets and wove cloth from cotton. By around 0 BC, the "Mound Builders" had built thousands of huge earth sculptures. Many were shaped like birds or serpents. One was over 3-1/2 miles long. 

The Iroquois organized other tribes into an alliance that maintained peace among its member nations. It included Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas and Senecas. Land was owned and worked in common. Private property was unknown.