Answer:
Interaction between Native Americans—the people Columbus called “Indians”–and other Americans, has taken place in every period of American history. Although white people—especially the early colonists—accepted much from the natives, they rarely considered Indians their equals. In the second half of the 19th century, conflict
between whites and natives was at its worst.
In this part you’ll investigate the question: How did interaction with other Americans
affect Native American societies?
Investigation: Plains Tribal Culture
When societies with differing cultures come in contact, differing ways of acting and thinking often cause problems. A society that believes each tree holds the spirit of an ancestor is likely to take a dim view of a logging crew. A society that lives by exact “clock time” may have problems interacting with another group that uses more relaxed “sun time.”
The cultures—the ideas and ways of acting—of the Native American tribes were not all alike. Nevertheless, many tribes were similar. Those living in the Great Plains (Cheyenne, Sioux, and Comanche, for example) shared many ideas and ways of acting, as did those in the Rocky Mountains. All reacted similarly when pioneers moved into their territory in the second half of the 1800s.
