Questions: Sections 4-7

Comprehension Questions

  1. Before the arrival of the horse on the plains, what was the only means of getting from place to place on land?
  2. For traveling on rivers, the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara people used a round tub-like boat called what?
  3. Before horses arrived on the plains, a method of hunting involved chasing the bison over a cliff. What was this called?
  4. What other kinds of animals, besides bison, were hunted for food?
  5. A healthful type of food made of dried powdered meat mixed with dried fruit was called what?
  6. Pemmican was stored in a rawhide case called a what?
  7. Agricultural crops were important, not only as food for the tribe that raised them, but also for what?
  8. Allowances of food provided on reservations were called what?
  9. Most of the clothing of the early Indians was made of what?
  10. During the summer, men usually wore what?
  11. What was the warmest winter robe?
  12. What are special outfits worn for special occasions called?
  13. What type of language was used in order to communicate while trading with someone from another tribe?
  14. Who educated the children in the homes?
  15. After Indians began living on reservations, how did the children’s education change?

Critical Thinking Questions

  1. Why didn’t the Indians use wagons to pull loads?
  2. How did the bullboat get its name?
  3. The “buffalo jump” was not used in most of North Dakota. Why?
  4. What method of preserving meat could be used in the winter but not in the summer?
  5. What are some types of regalia worn by both Indians and non-Indians?
  6. Why did tribes who traded with each other use sign language instead of just speaking with each other?
  7. Describe your feelings if you had been a child who was sent away to a boarding school hundreds of miles from home. Describe how you would feel if you were not allowed to speak your language, and forced to dress in a strange way.