The western Great Plains is flat and dry.
Tall grasses once grew everywhere there. In 1492, high winds whipped across the plains. They carried dirt or the flames of fast-moving lightning fires. Winters were very cold and summers were blazing hot. More rain fell in the eastern Great Plains.
Five hundred years ago, most Native Americans didn’t spend the whole year on the Great Plains. Many hunted on the plains during warm weather. In winter, they moved to the mountains or woods along the edges of the Great Plains. One group that did live on the plains was the Mandan people. The women grew corn, squash, sunflowers, and tobacco. Mandan men hunted bears, deer, rabbits, and other animals. Their most important prey was the buffalo. The plains grasses made perfect grazing for the buffalo. Twice a year, in the spring and fall, the Mandan tracked the buffalo across the plains. One such hunt has already started. Clouds of dust rise in the distance. A buffalo herd must be near. Let’s catch up with these hunters from long ago.
