The+Shoshone

Camille, Thomas, Jacqueline, Charlie, Marion
Region: The Great Basin

Desert Valley

History:


 * before 1800 lived in Great Basin


 * hunted and gathered food in dry, harsh environment


 * Great Basin gives protection from enemies


 * 1803 Thomas Jefferson bought land - Louisiana Purchase


 * many settlers came to Shoshone area and crowded them


 * Mormons and Shoshone got along at first and then they had a war


 * 1848 Gold Rush - settlers and miners used buffalo, trees and land


 * Shoshone fight U.S. army


 * Chief Washakie made peace and signed treaties


 * agreed to move to reservations to get food, medicine and supplies


 * became U.S. citizens in 1924


 * 1936 laws passed to help Native Americans

Food Sources:
 * hard to find food in the Great Basin because very dry, so split up into band (several families together about 30-40 people)
 * ate salmon, other fish, sheep and rabbits
 * bands named after food...examples: Salmon Eaters, Squirrel Eaters
 * used plants and herbs to treat illnesses
 * pine nuts!
 * women gather seed, roots, berries and leaves

Dwellings:
 * lived in a giant bowl surrounded by mountains
 * lived in valleys, mountain, hills and plains
 * teepees made from buffalo hide and plants
 * made sweat lodges out of willow frame covered with blankets or animal skin and mud
 * before teepee liked in wikiups

Clothing: Art: Religious Beliefs:
 * 1500's wore clothes made of wool and leather
 * barefoot most of the time/moccasins in winter or on rough ground
 * babies were carried in traditional baby carriers
 * wore their hair long
 * hot days - little clothes winter - robes/legging out of animal fur
 * men wore clothes if best hunters - loincloths made of deerskin or rabbit skin
 * women - wore aprons or skirts out of grass
 * children wore smaller versions of adult clothing
 * the women were known for their bead work and baskets
 * learned a lot of art from neighbors
 * used animal hides to remember their history
 * used porcupine quills in their art
 * used sweat lodges daily to ask the spirits to heal themselves, family members and their tribes

Music and Dance: Fun Facts:
 * dance at ceremonies...had a Father Dance, Round Dance, Sun Dance and Ghost Dance
 * most couples met up during dancing
 * bands (groups of families) that lived in different areas created their own way of life
 * mothers kept their babies on their backs with frames made of willow and deer skin
 * men sometimes kidnapped their wives
 * boys sometimes painted themselves and didn't wear clothes
 * some in Utah had horses and spread across the Great Plains
 * some men had many wives
 * Eastern Shoshone military men sometimes painted their eyebrows yellow

Games: Today:
 * relay races, arrows at targets, horse races, juggled mud balls, guessing game
 * played a game like soccer called shinny
 * some live on ten reservations, four colonies and five farming communities
 * some live in the modern world