Eastern Woodlands Native Americans
Source:  World Book Online, Indians of the Southeast

Location:

The Southeast extends from just south of the Ohio River to the Gulf of Mexico and from the Atlantic Coast of southern North Carolina to just west of the Mississippi River. It is a region of mild winters and warm, humid summers. The terrain varies from the mountains of the Appalachians to the sandy coastal plain, with rolling hills and some swamps in-between. Pine forests cover most of the region.

Food:

Southeastern Indians generally had an abundant supply of food. The adequate rainfall and long growing season enabled them to grow large quantities of corn. A favorite food was sofkee, which was made by grinding and then boiling corn. Today, sofkee is known as grits. Southeastern Indians also grew beans, squash, pumpkins, and sunflower seeds, and raised turkeys. The women farmed and gathered nuts, berries, and wild plants. Men cleared the land and did most of the hunting and fishing.

Travel:

People of the Southeast traveled either on foot or in wooden dugout canoes. Dugout canoes were made by burning out the centers of fallen trees with embers and then chopping out the charred wood with stone axes.

Homes:

Most Southeastern Indian villages had a central plaza with a council house, a public square, and a ceremonial ground. Most houses were made of wattle and daub—that is, a wooden frame covered by reed mats with plaster spread over them. Palisades enclosed many villages.

Clothing:

The Indians of the Southeast made deerskin shirts, dresses, leggings, and breechcloths. Women sometimes wore wraparound skirts of woven cloth made of plant fibers. Turkey feathers were sewed onto netting to make robes. The Indians in warmer areas wore little clothing, and many decorated their bodies with tattoos and body painting. Creek and Chickasaw men shaved their heads almost completely, leaving only a small tuft of hair on top. Choctaw men let their hair grow long.

 Updated October 09, 2004

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