Woodland Indians DietUnlike us today, the American Indians did not go food shopping at the grocery or farmers market. Food back then was much harder to come by, and each meal took great effort. The American Indians of the Woodlands survived by hunting and gathering, and later farming as well. Due to the changing climate during the seasons, the diets of the Indians would change depending on the season.
By hunting, the people of the region lived on the meat of deer, rabbit, squirrel, raccoon and other local animals. Corn, bean, and squash was consider the main source of food to the Woodlands people, and was planted and harvested used year round. Fruits and nuts were gathered by the Indians and became an important part of their diets. Fruits were dried and nuts were often set aside and stored for the cold winter months when fresh fruits and vegetables would not grow. |
Explore the pictures. What foods do you think American Indians gathered and hunted? |
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These statues mark the plots for each section of the Three Sister's Garden.Look through the pictures, can you tell which statue is the corn sister? the bean sister? the squash sister? |
Staying Alive
A tribe of 100 people needed about four deer each day to keep from going hungry. This kept the hunters of the tribe very busy!
Armed with only a sharp stick or rock, hunters had to learn a lot about an animal before they could become successful. They watched and studied an animals life cycle and behavior, and even pretended to be the animal.
Armed with only a sharp stick or rock, hunters had to learn a lot about an animal before they could become successful. They watched and studied an animals life cycle and behavior, and even pretended to be the animal.
Task #1: On your think sheet, fill in the foods you eat and the foods American Indians ate.