Virginia Studies Natives

Virginia Indians

Review

American Indians were the first people who lived in Virginia.

Christopher Columbus called the people he found in
the lands he explored “Indians” because he thought
he was in the Indies (near China).

Artifacts such as
arrowheads, pottery
and other tools tell a
lot about the people
who lived in Virginia.

Archaeologists study all kinds of material evidence left by
people from the past

Recent archaeological digs have recovered new material
evidence about Werowocomoco andhistoric Jamestown.

American Indians have
always been closely
connected to the land.

They did not believe in
land ownership.

Werowocomoco was a large Indian town, located on the York River

➔

Used by Indian leaders for several hundred years before the English
settlers came.

➔

It was the headquarters of the leader Powhatan in 1607.

Jamestown became the first permanent
English settlement in North America.

➔

Archaeologists have discovered the
site of the original fort.

➔

The recovered artifacts give
archaeologists clues about the
interactions of the Indians, English and
Africans in early Virginia.

Multiple Choice

Christopher Columbus called the people he found in the lands he explored “Indians” because–

• he thought he was in Africa

• that was their native name

• he thought he was in the Indies

Multiple Choice

A large Indian town used by Indian leaders for several hundred years before the English settlement was —

• Werewocomocco

• Richmond

• Jamestown

• Yorktown

Multiple Choice

The first permanent English settlement in North America is known as —

• Werewocomocco

• Jamestown

• Richmond

• Yorktown

Multiple Choice

How do archaeologists help people understand the past?

• They study many types of material evidence left from people of the past.

• They paint pictures of what they think might have been in the area.

• They talk to the people who lived during the time period being studied

Multiple Choice

Artifacts are

• from the environment

• made by humans

Virginia Indians Daily Life

All humans rely on some basic needs:

➔ food
➔ water
➔ shelter

The kinds of food American Indians ate, the clothing
they wore, and the shelters they had depended upon
the seasons

Land

● Forests with a variety of trees cover most of the land

Virginia’s American Indians are referred to as Eastern Woodland Indians

Climate

● Relatively mild with four distinct seasons, resulting in

a variety of vegetation

Clothing

●
Animal skins (like deerskin) were used for clothing

Shelter

Made from natural resources around them
- Built with trees covered with tree bark

Food

Foods changed with the seasons

●

While the seasons and climate of Virginia were not in the control of
the Virginia Indians, they were able to interact with the land in
order to get the things that they needed.

●

Without learning to use the land to their advantage to create food,
shelter and other tools, Virginia Indians would have struggled to
survive.

Key Points

Multiple Choice

What type of land covers most of Virginia?

• Mountains

• Plains

• Deserts

• Forests

Multiple Choice

During which season were the Powhatan people most likely to grow corn, beans, and squash?

• Spring

• Summer

• Fall

• Winter

Multiple Choice

The picture above shows a Powhatan house. What did the American Indians use to make this shelter?

• Grass mats sent from Canada

• Materials around them

• Trees shipped from England

• Items bought from settlers

Multiple Choice

In which season did the Indians hunt birds and other animals and live off of stored foods?

• fall

• winter

• spring

• summer

Multiple Choice

During which season did the Indians mostly harvest and preserve their crops?

• summer

• spring

• fall

• winter

Multiple Choice

Which of the following best describes Virginia's climate?

• Relatively mild with one season

• Relatively hot with distinct seasons

• Relatively mild with distinct seasons

• Relatively hot with one season

Multiple Choice

Virginia's American Indians are referred to as Eastern Woodland Indians because —

• they lived in trees that faced toward the east

• forests cover most of the land on which they lived

• the ocean is located to the east of the Indian Villages

• they used wood to build their homes and furniture

Virginia Indian’s Language Groups

Algonquian
(al-GONK-ee-on)

Spoken mostly in the
Tidewater Region

Siouan
(SOO-in)

Spoken mostly in the
Piedmont Region

Iroquoian

(ear-uh-KOY-in)

Spoken in southwestern
& southern Virginia near
North Carolina

Algonquian (al-GONK-ee-on)

●

Spoken in Tidewater region
(Coastal Plain)

●

Powhatan Tribe were apart of
this group

●

Towns near water - Fishing
was important

Siouan(SOO-in)

●Spoken in Piedmont Region

●Monacan were part of this
group

● Monacan means “earth
diggers”

●Copper beads were a sign of
wealth and were in great
demand

Iroquoian (ear-uh-KOY-in)

●Spoken in Appalachian Plateau
region and in southern Virginia
near North Carolina

●Cherokee were a part of this
group

●Lived in heavily wooded areas

●Their towns often had tall log
stockades to keepthem safe

Multiple Choice

Which section of the map shows where Algonquian language groups lived?

• 1

• 4

• 5

• 3

Multiple Select

Which sections of the map shows where the Iroquoian language groups lived?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

• 5

Multiple Choice

Which section on the map shows where Siouan language groups lived?

• 2

• 3

• 1

• 4

Multiple Choice

The Monacan Indians speak

• Algonquian

• Siouan

• Iroquoian

• Spanish

Multiple Choice

The Cherokee Indians speak

• Iroquoian

• Siouan

• Algonquian

• English

Multiple Choice

What are the three major American Indian language groups found in Virginia?

• Iroquoian, Siouan, Algonquian

• Spanish, Algonquian, Iroquoian

• French, Spanish, and English