Knife River: Early Village Life on the Plains

(Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site) (Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site) H igh on a bluff overlooking the Knife River in the Upper Missouri River valley, soft winds ruffle the lush grasses that cover, but do not obscure, circle upon circle of raised earth with central depressions. These depressions mark all that remains of a once lively village. In the late 18th century, while European colonists were fighting a revolution with England in the eastern part of the continent, these villagers were conducting their centuries-old trade with remote tribal groups; fashioning weapons needed to hunt the big game that shared the rolling hills; tending their gardens of squash, pumpkin, beans, sunflowers, corn, and tobacco; and carrying on all the other occupations of daily life. From the ceremonial plaza—a spot of land that was once the center of village activities—one can look to the northward hills and see trails left from the travois, sled-like carriers used by hunters and traders. Looking downward toward the slow-moving river, partly obscured by the cottonwood and willow trees that line the river banks, one can easily imagine groups felling trees to be hauled up the hill and prepared as support beams for new or reconstructed earthlodges. One can almost hear children splashing in the river's cool waters, swimming and playing about in the round bull boats that were used to cross the river. It is possible to imagine such scenes because we know what to look for. The writings and illustrations of European­American visitors to the villages during the late 18th and early 19th centuries provide a historical record of Plains Indians that is unparalleled in its abundance of information, detail, and diversity of sources. Recent archeological studies have added rich information about the site that goes back at least 3,500 years.

TABLE OF CONTENTS About This Lesson Getting Started: Inquiry Question Setting the Stage: Historical Context Locating the Site: Maps 1. North Dakota 2. Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site 3. Northern Plains prehistoric trading system 4. Trading relationships of the Mandan and Hidatsa Indians, c. 1800 Determining the Facts: Readings 1. Village Life in the Upper Missouri River Valley (c. 1740–1845) 2. Western Contact Visual Evidence: Images 1. Aerial view of Big Hidatsa Village 2. Twelve-post earthlodge 3. Hidatsa Village, Earth Covered Lodges, on the Knife River 4. Bird's-Eye View of the Mandan Village Putting It All Together: Activities 1. Drawing Conclusions from Art 2. Making Comparisons 3. Researching Local Indians Supplementary Resources

RELATED INFORMATION How to Use a TwHP Lesson Lessons on Related Topics TwHP Home National Register Home About the National Register How the National Register Helps Teachers Contact TwHP Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site This lesson is based on the Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site, one of the thousands of properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

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