02-THE WILD WEST AND THE NATIVE AMERICANS

THE WILD WEST AND THE NATIVE AMERICANS The term Wild West began to be used in the 1800s to describe the regions of the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains, which extend west of the Mississippi River to the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Native Americans, formerly called Indians, inhabited these immense territories. These peoples, also called redskins for their custom of smearing red earth over their entire bodies, were made up of many tribes. Here are the better-known ones: APACHE: Brave warriors who were feared for their raids on settlers for food and livestock. Two chiefs became legendary: Cochise and Geronimo. BLACKFEET: Able shoemakers, the Blackfeet people made moccasins of dark skins—that's how they got their name. They used dogs instead of horses to carry loads. CHEROKEE: The Cherokee were devoted to hunting as well as farming. Around 1820, Chief Sequoya invented an alphabet made up of eighty-five symbols in order to better communicate with white people. CHEYENNE: The Cheyenne people traveled around the plains, living in tepees. These tents were made of animal skins and formed a cone that was easy to pack and carry. The Cheyenne fought side by side with the great chiefs of the Sioux tribe in the struggle to free the Indian people. COMANCHE: Famous for their horse-riding ability, the Comanche fought to defend their territory from white hunters who killed the buffalo and other wildlife. SIOUX: This tribe of the Great Plains was subdivided into three groups: the Dakota, the Nakota, and the Lakota. Famous chiefs of the Sioux included Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and Red Cloud.