The First Shell Collectors: The Calusa Tribe (RW source)

Native American tribes lived in Florida for thousands of years before European settlers arrived. These tribes all had their own ways of surviving in the wild, swampy environment. They also had their own languages, traditions, and ways of living.

One of these tribes was the Calusa tribe. This tribe lived on the southwest coast of Florida. Calusa means “fierce people”. Many of the men in the Calusa tribe were powerful warriors who fought other tribes for control of South Florida.

The Calusa people lived close to bays, rivers, and the ocean. They depended on these water sources for food and trade. Unlike other Native American tribes in Florida, the Calusa tribe did not farm. Instead, they fished and hunted. The men made large nets out of natural materials to catch catfish, mullet, and pigfish. Shellfish such as crabs and oysters were also plentiful in the area. Women and children in the tribe learned how to catch and collect these animals from the ocean floor.

The Calusa tribe traded most of the seafood they caught with other tribes in the surrounding areas. Sometimes, they would travel a long way to trade. Calusa tribesmen were great sailors. They traveled the ocean in dugout canoes. The canoes were made from hollowed-out cyprus trees. They used these canoes to travel as far as Cuba to find other trading partners. They also used their sailing skills to defend their land against smaller tribes traveling by water.

One of the most unique practices of this tribe was its use of shells. The Calusa people were most likely the first shell collectors! Tribe members would use shells to create jewelry, utensils, and tools, including shell spears to hunt and fish. But more notably, tribe members piled shells into large mounds, along with other materials like bones or clay. They used these mounds as the foundations for their cities. They would often build ceremonial buildings on top of these shell mounds. These shell mounds are still preserved in many parts of South Florida. Archeologists can learn a lot about how the Calusa tribe lived by studying these mounds.

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Where did the Calusa tribe live?

• on the coast of California

• on the coast of Massachusetts

• in the desert of Arizona

• on the southwest coast of Florida

Native American tribes lived in Florida for thousands of years before European settlers arrived. These tribes all had their own ways of surviving in the wild, swampy environment. They also had their own languages, traditions, and ways of living.

One of these tribes was the Calusa tribe. This tribe lived on the southwest coast of Florida. Calusa means “fierce people”. Many of the men in the Calusa tribe were powerful warriors who fought other tribes for control of South Florida.

The Calusa people lived close to bays, rivers, and the ocean. They depended on these water sources for food and trade. Unlike other Native American tribes in Florida, the Calusa tribe did not farm. Instead, they fished and hunted. The men made large nets out of natural materials to catch catfish, mullet, and pigfish. Shellfish such as crabs and oysters were also plentiful in the area. Women and children in the tribe learned how to catch and collect these animals from the ocean floor.

The Calusa tribe traded most of the seafood they caught with other tribes in the surrounding areas. Sometimes, they would travel a long way to trade. Calusa tribesmen were great sailors. They traveled the ocean in dugout canoes. The canoes were made from hollowed-out cyprus trees. They used these canoes to travel as far as Cuba to find other trading partners. They also used their sailing skills to defend their land against smaller tribes traveling by water.

One of the most unique practices of this tribe was its use of shells. The Calusa people were most likely the first shell collectors! Tribe members would use shells to create jewelry, utensils, and tools, including shell spears to hunt and fish. But more notably, tribe members piled shells into large mounds, along with other materials like bones or clay. They used these mounds as the foundations for their cities. They would often build ceremonial buildings on top of these shell mounds. These shell mounds are still preserved in many parts of South Florida. Archeologists can learn a lot about how the Calusa tribe lived by studying these mounds.

© 2020 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved.

What is one contrast that the author draws between the Calusa tribe and other Native American tribes in Florida?

• Other Native American tribes used horses for transportation, but the Calusa tribe used canoes

• Other Native American tribes farmed, but the Calusa tribe fished and hunted.

• Other Native American tribes ate meat, but the Calusa tribe only ate vegetables.

• Other Native American tribes built houses out of brick, but the Calusa tribe built houses out of sand.

Native American tribes lived in Florida for thousands of years before European settlers arrived. These tribes all had their own ways of surviving in the wild, swampy environment. They also had their own languages, traditions, and ways of living.

One of these tribes was the Calusa tribe. This tribe lived on the southwest coast of Florida. Calusa means “fierce people”. Many of the men in the Calusa tribe were powerful warriors who fought other tribes for control of South Florida.

The Calusa people lived close to bays, rivers, and the ocean. They depended on these water sources for food and trade. Unlike other Native American tribes in Florida, the Calusa tribe did not farm. Instead, they fished and hunted. The men made large nets out of natural materials to catch catfish, mullet, and pigfish. Shellfish such as crabs and oysters were also plentiful in the area. Women and children in the tribe learned how to catch and collect these animals from the ocean floor.

The Calusa tribe traded most of the seafood they caught with other tribes in the surrounding areas. Sometimes, they would travel a long way to trade. Calusa tribesmen were great sailors. They traveled the ocean in dugout canoes. The canoes were made from hollowed-out cyprus trees. They used these canoes to travel as far as Cuba to find other trading partners. They also used their sailing skills to defend their land against smaller tribes traveling by water.

One of the most unique practices of this tribe was its use of shells. The Calusa people were most likely the first shell collectors! Tribe members would use shells to create jewelry, utensils, and tools, including shell spears to hunt and fish. But more notably, tribe members piled shells into large mounds, along with other materials like bones or clay. They used these mounds as the foundations for their cities. They would often build ceremonial buildings on top of these shell mounds. These shell mounds are still preserved in many parts of South Florida. Archeologists can learn a lot about how the Calusa tribe lived by studying these mounds.

© 2020 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Calusa found many uses for the natural resources in their area.What information from the passage supports this conclusion?

• “Tribe members would use shells to create jewelry, utensils, and tools, including shell spears to hunt and fish.[…] Tribe members piled shells into large mounds.[...] They used these mounds as the foundations for their cities.”

• “One of these tribes was the Calusa tribe. This tribe lived on the southwest coast of Florida. Calusa means “fierce people”. Many of the men in the Calusa tribe were powerful warriors who fought other tribes for control of South Florida.”

• “Native American tribes lived in Florida for thousands of years before European settlers arrived. These tribes all had their own ways of surviving in the wild, swampy environment. They also had their own languages, traditions, and ways of living.”

• “These shell mounds are still preserved in many parts of South Florida. Archeologists can learn a lot about how the Calusa tribe lived by studying these mounds.”

Native American tribes lived in Florida for thousands of years before European settlers arrived. These tribes all had their own ways of surviving in the wild, swampy environment. They also had their own languages, traditions, and ways of living.

One of these tribes was the Calusa tribe. This tribe lived on the southwest coast of Florida. Calusa means “fierce people”. Many of the men in the Calusa tribe were powerful warriors who fought other tribes for control of South Florida.

The Calusa people lived close to bays, rivers, and the ocean. They depended on these water sources for food and trade. Unlike other Native American tribes in Florida, the Calusa tribe did not farm. Instead, they fished and hunted. The men made large nets out of natural materials to catch catfish, mullet, and pigfish. Shellfish such as crabs and oysters were also plentiful in the area. Women and children in the tribe learned how to catch and collect these animals from the ocean floor.

The Calusa tribe traded most of the seafood they caught with other tribes in the surrounding areas. Sometimes, they would travel a long way to trade. Calusa tribesmen were great sailors. They traveled the ocean in dugout canoes. The canoes were made from hollowed-out cyprus trees. They used these canoes to travel as far as Cuba to find other trading partners. They also used their sailing skills to defend their land against smaller tribes traveling by water.

One of the most unique practices of this tribe was its use of shells. The Calusa people were most likely the first shell collectors! Tribe members would use shells to create jewelry, utensils, and tools, including shell spears to hunt and fish. But more notably, tribe members piled shells into large mounds, along with other materials like bones or clay. They used these mounds as the foundations for their cities. They would often build ceremonial buildings on top of these shell mounds. These shell mounds are still preserved in many parts of South Florida. Archeologists can learn a lot about how the Calusa tribe lived by studying these mounds.

© 2020 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reread the fourth paragraph about the Calusa tribe’s skill at sailing. Why was it important for them to become so good at sailing?

• because a lot of their trade and defense took place on the water

• because sailing was good exercise and kept them fit

• because they wanted to control the entire Atlantic Ocean

• because they had a goal to sail around the world

Native American tribes lived in Florida for thousands of years before European settlers arrived. These tribes all had their own ways of surviving in the wild, swampy environment. They also had their own languages, traditions, and ways of living.

One of these tribes was the Calusa tribe. This tribe lived on the southwest coast of Florida. Calusa means “fierce people”. Many of the men in the Calusa tribe were powerful warriors who fought other tribes for control of South Florida.

The Calusa people lived close to bays, rivers, and the ocean. They depended on these water sources for food and trade. Unlike other Native American tribes in Florida, the Calusa tribe did not farm. Instead, they fished and hunted. The men made large nets out of natural materials to catch catfish, mullet, and pigfish. Shellfish such as crabs and oysters were also plentiful in the area. Women and children in the tribe learned how to catch and collect these animals from the ocean floor.

The Calusa tribe traded most of the seafood they caught with other tribes in the surrounding areas. Sometimes, they would travel a long way to trade. Calusa tribesmen were great sailors. They traveled the ocean in dugout canoes. The canoes were made from hollowed-out cyprus trees. They used these canoes to travel as far as Cuba to find other trading partners. They also used their sailing skills to defend their land against smaller tribes traveling by water.

One of the most unique practices of this tribe was its use of shells. The Calusa people were most likely the first shell collectors! Tribe members would use shells to create jewelry, utensils, and tools, including shell spears to hunt and fish. But more notably, tribe members piled shells into large mounds, along with other materials like bones or clay. They used these mounds as the foundations for their cities. They would often build ceremonial buildings on top of these shell mounds. These shell mounds are still preserved in many parts of South Florida. Archeologists can learn a lot about how the Calusa tribe lived by studying these mounds.

© 2020 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved.

What is the main idea of this passage?

• Calusa tribe members built many things with shells, including mounds, utensils, jewelry, and tools.

• The people of the Calusa tribe lived near several kinds of bodies of water, including bays, rivers, and the ocean.

• The people of the Calusa tribe lived on the coast of Florida and used the natural resources around them for food, trade, and building cities.

• The men in the Calusa tribe caught catfish, mullet, and pigfish, while women and children caught oysters and crabs.