Studies Weekly, Week 5 Article 5: Life in Texas Before European

Studies Weekly, Week 5

Article 5:
Life in Texas Before European Colonization

Other Early Texas Tribes

The Lipan Apache, Comanche, and Wichita weren’t the only tribes indigenous to Texas. Other groups included the Caddo, Karankawa, Tonkawa, and the Jumano tribes. 

​Caddo

Caddo

Like many other tribes in Texas, the Caddo is made up of multiple tribes. These tribes share a common language and similar beliefs. The Caddo were farmers. They grew corn, beans, and squash. The women of the tribe tended to the farms, and the men hunted buffalo and deer for food and resources. The hides of these animals were used to make clothes, shelters, and containers. No part of the animal went to waste. Even the bones were used to make tools.

Karankawa

​Karankawa

The Karankawa tribe lived along the coast of Texas. Their lifestyle was very different from tribes that lived inland. The Karankawa fished and lived on the ocean. They used dugout canoes to travel along the coastal regions of Texas. They lived in wigwams and other homes that were easy to transport and set up. The Karankawa were skilled archers and hunted available game, such as deer, rabbits, and birds. 

Multiple Choice

The Karankawa tribe lived in homes called ______?

• wigwams

• teppees

• mounds

Tonkawa
The Tonkawa lived in central Texas. Tonkawa is a Wichita name, meaning "they all stay together." The Tonkawa called themselves "the most human of people."

The Apache to the north were enemies of the Tonkawa. This kept the Tonkawa from hunting bison on the plains of north Texas.

Occasionally, bison would stray south and give the Tonkawa some much-needed food. They got most of their food from fishing, gathering, and hunting animals like deer.

The Tonkawa had a history of helping others fight their battles. When the Comanche came to Texas, the Tonkawa helped them fight the Apache. Later, when the Comanche became a threat to them, they helped the Apache fight the Comanche.

Multiple Choice

Who were the enemies of the Tonkawa?

• Caddo

• Camanche

• Apache

​Jumano

The Jumano tribe lived in central Texas. They grew corn, beans, and squash, which they traded with neighboring tribes for goods and meat. Like many tribes in Texas, the Jumano painted themselves with various patterns and colors. Some even tattooed their bodies.

Hunting bison and deer was common for the men. Women were the planters and growers of the communities. Women wore their hair long, while men would cut their hair short or grow it long. They made clothes from the skins of the animals that they hunted. The Jumano had ceremonies and traditions that were an important part of their way of life.

Multiple Choice

Who were the planters and growers of the Jumano communities?

• Men

• Women

• Children

Multiple Choice

Which tribe was unable to hunt bison regularly?

• Caddo

• Jumano

• Karankawa

• Tonkawa

Multiple Choice

Which tribe had vibrant tattoos?

• Caddo

• Jumano

• Karankawa

• Tonkawa