ASSIGNMENT:

Part 1:

In your small research groups, you will be assigned to one of the following topics. In your research, you should focus on the questions listed under each category.

• RELIGION

What were the Powhatan Indians' basic religious beliefs? How many gods did they have, and which were most important? What role did religion play in their daily life? What types of ceremonies or sacrifes were associated with their religion? How important were religious figures (priests) in their society?

• GOVERNMENT and WAR

Who was the head of a Powhatan tribe? What power did tribe leaders have over the people? What was the structure of the Powhatan confederacy? How powerful of a leader was Powhatan, and how did tribes demonstrate their loyalty to him? Did the Indians go to war very often, and if so, for what reasons? What type of war tactics and weapons did they use?

• SUBSISTENCE (ECONOMY)

What were the primary means of living for the Powhatan Indians? What types of agricultural products did they produce, and what methods of farming did they use? What other types of food did they have? Did the Powhatans trade within the tribe and with other tribes? Was there division of labor based on gender?

• SOCIAL STRUCTURES

What did a Powhatan tribe or village look like? What types of houses did the Indians live in, and how were they situated in relation to each other? How big was a tribe, and what types of relations did it have with neighboring tribes? Within each tribe, who were the most important members of society, and how did the rest of the Indians treat them? What other types of divisions or lines were drawn among people within a tribe? What were the unifying forces in a tribe?

Part 2:

Once you have completed your research within your group, develop a 5-10 minute presentation on the information you have learned.

GUIDELINES FOR PRESENTATION:

• Focus on the questions prevented above; try to answer them as fully as possible in your presentation.
• Include a visual aid that depicts some aspect of the area of Powhatan life that your group researched.
• Each person in the group should participate in the presentation.
• Formulate 5 questions about the subject matter you will be presenting that are suitable for a quiz. Submit the questions and answers to the teacher.

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