5th Grade WebQuestMrs. Clapham’s 2009-2010 Social Studies Class

The Water Walkers

Society

• Peaceful people – lived from 600 BC – 400 AD• Lived in a forest near a creek• Hunting, farming, and fishing community• Democratic – had a chief and a council• Polytheistic – they worshipped five gods• Held a variety of ceremonies• Had a medicine man• Women taught girls how to cook and make pottery, clothes, etc. in their homes• Men taught boys how to hunt, fish, and farm• Only hunters were allowed to have weapons – hunters were also the village’s protectors

Language• Hieroglyphics – no “written” language• Hieroglyphics drawn on clay, wood, leaves, and rocks• People used a combination of spoken and sign language

Daily lifeDaily life

• Men and women worked together

• All items made from nature

- Wood: Houses, boats and paddles, tools, instruments, firewood, and spears for hunting and fishing

- Animal skins: Clothing, blankets, rugs, drums, roofs

- Mud / Clay: Pottery, irrigation piping, bricks for fire pit

DwellingsDwellings

• Lived in longhouses – two families per longhouse• Built from wood (logs, twigs, branches)• Cooking was done outside the home in a fire pit

HuntingHunting

• Hunted deer• Only men were allowed to hunt• Hunters would pray to the hunting god prior to a hunt• Hunting god was worshipped and given an offering after

a successful hunt• Combination of spears, daggers, and bows and arrows

were used to hunt

Farming & Farming & FishingFishing

• Men and women farmed and fished• Boats and spears used for fishing• Irrigation pipes and plows were

used for farming• Offerings given to gods after a

plentiful harvest and successful fishing trip

• Main crops: corn, beans, squash

Beliefs

God of the Sun

• Light• Energy and heat• Works with all the gods

God of Earth • Crops and harvests• Natural disasters• Works with all gods

God of Hunting

• Leader of the animals• Protects and guides the hunters• Works with all gods

God of Healing

• Guides and helps the Medicine Man• Protects the people from disease• Works with god of earth to grow herbs for Medicine Man

God of Rain / Water • Controls the weather• Works with all the gods

HEALINGHEALING

• Herbs, flowers, and prayers were used as medicine

• Mortar and pestle used to smash herbs into a medicine

• Medicine Man performed ceremonies when healing sick people

Traditions

Ceremonies (with dancing and music): • For births, deaths, and marriages• Before hunting, farming, or fishing• To honor gods by bringing offerings and gifts

Art and Music• Painted pictures of gods and daily life on rocks, leaves, and wood• Made sculptures of gods• Women and girls made and painted bowls and sculptures• Drums and flutes played at ceremonies

- Drums made from animal skins- Flutes made from wood

What happened to them?

• Did they anger the gods and die by a natural disaster?• Did they die from a disease?• Did they move away? If so, why, and where did they go?• Were they attacked? – captured and taken away?

Thank you!Please stay and view the artifacts in

this exhibit.

Referenceshttp://www.carto.net/neumann/mountaineering/mono_lake_sierra_nevada_2003_10/065_forest_with_river.jpg

http://mdb2.ibibo.com/03453616c7465645f5f3acd020f8fbbdd703d22b2bb5d44350ab7772e3e34a81404c57274380e9fc761a79b9017b4b24c64bd687c.jpeg/sun-sunset-sunrise-orange-horizon.jpeg

http://shoot-ashokan.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/nativeam-longhouse-interior.jpg

http://www.abu.nb.ca/courses/NTIntro/images/fishboatGalil.jpg

http://www.rivernen.ca/glyphs37.jpg