Mandan Tribe Essay

According to the four sources provided, the Mandan tribe was a very well-organized civilization. The Mandan tribe used the terrain to construct homes. The soil was used to grow crops. Hunters used animals as a source of nourishment. In their day-to-day lives, the women, men ,and tribe had roles and responsibilities to fulfill. Men had families to feed, and the women had children to watch and homes to tend to.The members of the village had beliefs to uphold. The Mandan tribe was a very structured civilization, which contributed to their success.

The Mandan tribe was able to prosper due to the fertile land that they lived upon. It yielded food and shelter to the tribe. In North Dakota, where the tribe was located, crops such as corn, beans,
The men were hunters, went to war in order to protect their families, and were only allowed to be a chief(Source A). Women, on the other hand, made clothes, planted crops, took care of the children, and kept up with the chores(Source B). Both men and women could help participate in storytelling, artwork, music, and medicine (Source B). The other members of the village also helped in the tribe’s success. Those who did not grow vegetables that often visited the Knife River in order to trade surplus produce, which was enhanced by the fur trade(Source D). Fur traders made regular visits to the tribe in order to purchase furs from the Mandans. Furs were trapped and prepared, but “they also acquired furs and hides by trading maize and items received from the traders to the non-agricultural tribes of the region” (Source D). This helped the Mandan tribe to become wealthy. When being one of the richest tribes in the plains, the Mandan tribe even hosted American explorers Lewis and Clark ( Source C).

The Mandans were a very prosperous tribe, utilizing the terrain for sustenance and shelter. Each individual and the tribe as a whole contributed to the survival of the tribe. Learning from the Mandan tribe’s success helps those today learn about the lives of those who lived before