Native Americans: The First Inhabitants of Virginia

Contributed by:
Steve
This booklet will demonstrate knowledge of geography and early inhabitants of Virginia by locating the American Indians language groups and describing how American Indians adapted to their climate and environment to secure their food, clothing, and shelter.
1. Native Americans:
The First Inhabitants of Virginia
2. Virginia Studies 2 d, e
• The student will demonstrate knowledge of the
geography and early inhabitants of Virginia by.
a)Locating three American Indian (First
American) language groups (the
Algonquian, the Siouan and the Iroquoian)
on a map of Virginia.
b)Describing how American Indians (First
Americans) adapted to the climate and their
environment to secure food, clothing and
shelter.
3. Native Americans: The First Inhabitants of
Virginia:Table of Contents
• Christopher Columbus: Indians
• Native Language Groups
• Native Americans in Virginia: Map
• Native Americans: Evidence & Artifacts
• Virginia Climate
• Eastern Woodland Indians
• Food: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
• Clothing
• Shelter
• Assessments: One, Two, Three
4. Christopher Columbus: Indians
• Christopher Columbus
called the people he
found in the lands he
discovered “Indians”
because he thought he
was in the Indies (near
China).
5. Native Language Groups
Three major language groups.
1. Algonquian was spoken primarily in the
Tidewater region; the Powhatans were a
member of this group.
2. Siouan was spoken primarily in the Piedmont
region.
3. Iroquoian was spoken in Southwestern Virginia
and in Southern Virginia near what is today
North Carolina; the Cherokee were a part of
this group. Map
6. Native Americans In Virginia:Map
Algonquian
(Powhatan)
(Cherokee)
Siouan
7. Evidence & Artifacts
• Today we know that Native
Americans lived in all areas
of the state by the artifacts
they left behind.
• Artifacts such as
arrowheads, pottery, and
other tools that have been
found tell a lot about the
people who lived in
Virginia.
8. Virginia Climate
• The climate in Virginia is relatively mild with
distinct seasons—spring, summer, fall, and winter
—resulting in a variety of vegetation.
9. Eastern Woodland Indians
• Virginia’s Indians are
referred to as Eastern
Woodland Indians,
due to the forests
which cover most of
the land.
• The kinds of food they
ate, the clothing they
Click below for more information
wore, and the shelters Click on the back arrow to return here
they had depended Food
upon the seasons. Clothing
Shelters
10. Eastern Woodland Indians: Food
• Foods changed with the seasons:
– Winter - hunted birds and animals
– Spring - fished and picked berries
– Summer - grew crops (beans, corn,
squash)
– Fall - harvested crops
Back to Eastern
Woodland Indians Click on the season for more information
Click on the back arrow to return to this slide
11. Eastern Woodland Indians: Clothing
• Animal skins
(deerskin) were used
for clothing.
Back to Eastern
Woodland Indians
12. Eastern Woodland Indians: Shelter
• Shelter was made
from materials
around them
mainly wood and
bark.
Back to Eastern
Woodland Indians
13. Assessment – 1 of 3
• Why were Virginia’s Indians referred to
as the Eastern Woodlands Indians?
Answer
• What were Indians clothes made from?
Answer
Click here to go to
Assessment #2
14. Assessment - 2 of 3
• What type of food did the Eastern
Woodland Indians eat during the winter?
Answer
• What type of food did the Eastern
Woodland Indians eat during the summer?
Answer
Click here to go back Click here to go to
to Assessment #1 Assessment #3
15. Assessment – 3 of 3
• What did the Eastern Woodlands Indians
depend upon to determine what foods they
ate, type of clothing they wore and shelters
they lived? Answer
• What were the three major Indians
languages spoken in Virginia?Answer
Click here to go back
to Assessment #2
16. Credits
• Virginia Studies Curriculum Framework,
Commonwealth of Virginia, Board of Education, 2001
• Virginia Studies Posters
(http://chumby.dlib.vt.edu/melissa/posters/vastudiesposter.html)
• Google Image Search (www.google.com/images)