The First Americans

All American Indians had a great love of the land. They used it to meet their needs.

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Over time, the American Indian groups moved farther apart. They learned different ways to do things. There were many different cultures, or ways of living.

​Cultures

American Indian groups lived all over what is now the United States. Each group had to find the best way of living in its own area.
For example, Indians in coastal regions needed to know how to build canoes.

​Culture Regions of the US

Eastern Woodlands
Plains
Southwest
California Intermountain
Northwest Coast

​5 American Indian Cultural Regions

​American Indians of the Northwest Coastal Region got a lot of fish and shellfish from fishing near the coast

​​Fishing in the ocean

​The region has thick forests, so they used them to hunt for animals.

​​Hunting in the forest

​The Northwest Coastal American Indian used wood from the forests to make tools, boxes, houses, and canoes.

​​Wood from the forest

The mild climate gave cool summers and cold winters, as well as lots of rain.
This group believed that animal spirits called totems protected their families. They carved tall totem poles showing these animal spirits.

​Totem Poles