The Plains Indians - Horses and Buffalo

Horses

There were no horses in America until the 1600s.

In 1640 the Pueblo Indians drove the Spanish out at took their horses.

They kept some for themselves for meat and breeding and sold the rest to other indians

They used horses to hunt buffalo, transport their belongings, in war and just for the fun of riding.

Horses were essential, that Indians and Indian tribes were measuring their wealth, status and prestige in horses.

Buffalo

Before they had horses, the Plains Indians stalked the buffalo on foot

They would sometimes stamped a herd so they were trapped in a valley or tumbled on a cliff

The woman and children would butcher the buffalo

Every part of the buffalo was used, except the heart.

The heart was left on the Plains, they believed this gave new life to the herd.

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