American Indian Tribal Information

Cultural stories about Native American life, an important part of American history.

In this TribalDirectory Information section you'll find hundreds of articles on Native American Indian topics such as canoe building, Indian wars, Inuit harpoons and arrowheads. In addition you'll be able to find tons of information on specific tribes of American Indians such as the Amazon Indians, the Comanche, the Hopi, the Cree and the Cheyenne Indians.

In our American Indian history section you'll learn how the first American settlers arrived across the Bering Strait which is widely believed to have existed between Siberia and Alaska between 50,000 and 10,000 years ago. From there early humans migrated south eventually populating the continents of North and South America. You'll be able to learn about the Clovis settlers who lived in what is now New Mexico. The artifacts from the Clovis Culture are among the oldest in the Americas and are believed to have existed for a span of 500 years over 11,000 years before present. Some of the artifacts recovered were bones of animals that were consumed by the Clovis people. Current theories usually place the arrival of humans in North America at between 14,000 and 20,000 years ago however there has been some disputed evidence of stone tools over 50,000 years old.

One of the most important aspects of Native American life you can learn about here is their rich culture. When the thought of Native Americans enters your head, you most likely see great headpieces, feathers, earrings, bead work, and clothing. Many Mesoamerican cultures had unique writing systems that were similar to the hieroglyphics of ancient Egypt. Native American music often includes drums or flutes however doesn't use much harmonic accompaniment.

Another aspect of American Indian life you'll learn about is their fascinating building styles. Some long houses reached distances of 330 feet long and 15-25 feet wide. Iroquois are perhaps the most well known example of a culture who built long houses. Up to 20 or more related families would live within a single long house. Tipis were a conical tent that were often made by animals skins or birch bark. Most tipis were not painted, however, those that were often had images of the night sky, animals, or war. Due to an opening at the top of the tipi, a fire could be had to heat the structure as well as to cook on.