Southeast Region
While the Southeast culture boundaries are debatable, Southern Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia are the three states of the original 13 colonies within this region. Many geographers divide the Southeast into three major environmental zones:
Coastal Plain - Extends the entire length of the Atlantic coast from Virginia south to Florida, around Florida and along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico west into northern Mexico. Extensive pine forests once dominated the region and there were innumerable slow-moving rivers, bayous, and swamps. These conditions supported the most desired game, deer. Plants commonly found and utilized by the native peoples included cypress and live oak trees, cane, various berries, grapes, roots, and Spanish moss. The most important game animals were deer, followed by bear, opossums, rabbits, raccoons, squirrels, beavers, fish (such as sturgeon and catfish), shellfish, crawfish, snakes, turtles, waterfowl, and turkeys.
Piedmont - This is the region lying below the Appalachian Mountains and like the Coastal Plain, was once thickly covered with hardwood forests of oak, hickory, pine, poplar, and sycamore. Trees in this region are nut bearing and provided a staple to the Native American diet. The forested hills and fertile valleys provided an extensive array of plant and animal resources to the native people, including some of the best and most productive fishing areas. The Savannah River flows through both South Carolina and Georgia. River weeds, cat tails, fish, and shells were valuable resources collected from this river and its tributaries.
Southern Appalachian Mountains – The Appalachian Mountains extend from Canada to the northern regions of the Southeastern region. Vast forests of pines, walnuts, hickory, chestnut, and poplars once populated this region and were home to numerous animal species including deer, bear, turkeys and eagles, to name just a few. The Savannah River, which flows through Georgia and South Carolina, begins it’s journey at the base of the Appalachian mountains, moves through the piedmont and coastal plain, and empties into the Atlantic Ocean.
In the Southeast Region, farming is more dominant than hunting. The farming style planted maize, beans, and squash in the same field at the same time. That is, maize was planted along with beans and squash so the beans could fertilize the soil, the maize stalks provided supports for the growing beans, and the squash plants spread out over the soil and helped it retain its moisture. Most farm labor was provided by women, although men helped clear the fields. Women also were generally responsible for gathering wild plant foods and materials. The most important wild food plants were several species of nuts (walnuts, hickory nuts, acorns, chestnuts), grapes, persimmons, many different species of berries, roots, and seeds from numerous species of grasses and shrubs.
Coastal Plain - Extends the entire length of the Atlantic coast from Virginia south to Florida, around Florida and along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico west into northern Mexico. Extensive pine forests once dominated the region and there were innumerable slow-moving rivers, bayous, and swamps. These conditions supported the most desired game, deer. Plants commonly found and utilized by the native peoples included cypress and live oak trees, cane, various berries, grapes, roots, and Spanish moss. The most important game animals were deer, followed by bear, opossums, rabbits, raccoons, squirrels, beavers, fish (such as sturgeon and catfish), shellfish, crawfish, snakes, turtles, waterfowl, and turkeys.
Piedmont - This is the region lying below the Appalachian Mountains and like the Coastal Plain, was once thickly covered with hardwood forests of oak, hickory, pine, poplar, and sycamore. Trees in this region are nut bearing and provided a staple to the Native American diet. The forested hills and fertile valleys provided an extensive array of plant and animal resources to the native people, including some of the best and most productive fishing areas. The Savannah River flows through both South Carolina and Georgia. River weeds, cat tails, fish, and shells were valuable resources collected from this river and its tributaries.
Southern Appalachian Mountains – The Appalachian Mountains extend from Canada to the northern regions of the Southeastern region. Vast forests of pines, walnuts, hickory, chestnut, and poplars once populated this region and were home to numerous animal species including deer, bear, turkeys and eagles, to name just a few. The Savannah River, which flows through Georgia and South Carolina, begins it’s journey at the base of the Appalachian mountains, moves through the piedmont and coastal plain, and empties into the Atlantic Ocean.
In the Southeast Region, farming is more dominant than hunting. The farming style planted maize, beans, and squash in the same field at the same time. That is, maize was planted along with beans and squash so the beans could fertilize the soil, the maize stalks provided supports for the growing beans, and the squash plants spread out over the soil and helped it retain its moisture. Most farm labor was provided by women, although men helped clear the fields. Women also were generally responsible for gathering wild plant foods and materials. The most important wild food plants were several species of nuts (walnuts, hickory nuts, acorns, chestnuts), grapes, persimmons, many different species of berries, roots, and seeds from numerous species of grasses and shrubs.
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The houses throughout the Southern Region vary depending on the environment. Wattle and daub houses, also known as asi, are found in dry, sedentary, agricultural villages. These homes were built by weaving river cane, wood, and vines into a frame, then coating the frame with plaster. The roof was then thatched with grass or shingled with available bark.
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Chickees, also known as stilt houses, were built in the outer coastal plain within swampy wetlands. The Great Dismal Swamp covers 750 square miles, is located in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, and is one of the largest wetland in the United States. These houses consist of a wooden platform raised several feet off the ground by large wooden posts. These dwellings had a thatched roof but no walls.
Native Americans living in the Southeast Region wore clothing that reflected the natural resources available. Women wore skirts and poncho-style blouses made of either woven fiber or deerskin. In the outer piedmont, coastal plain, and swamp areas, men wore breechcloths during the summer, and added leggings during the winter. Men and women were often barefoot in this region. In the Blue Ridge Mountains, vallies, and inner piedmont, typical clothing for men and women included long poncho style tops, leather leggings, and tall moccasin boots. These out outfits were often decorated by porcupine quill and fur from hunting.
Native Americans living in the Southeast Region wore clothing that reflected the natural resources available. Women wore skirts and poncho-style blouses made of either woven fiber or deerskin. In the outer piedmont, coastal plain, and swamp areas, men wore breechcloths during the summer, and added leggings during the winter. Men and women were often barefoot in this region. In the Blue Ridge Mountains, vallies, and inner piedmont, typical clothing for men and women included long poncho style tops, leather leggings, and tall moccasin boots. These out outfits were often decorated by porcupine quill and fur from hunting.