The History

The Blackfoot Tribe, a tribe that Lewis and Clark encountered during their journey, is known to always dye its moccasins black. They are a very large and powerful tribe that consists of the Siksika, the Piegan, and the Kainah. Because of their great numbers and the guns they got from British trade, they controlled a large amount of the northeastern Great Plains.

Lewis and Clark did not encounter the Blackfeet until their way back. They had seen signs that the Blackfoot tribe was in that area and they almost met up with eight members of the tribe by accident. When they all met up, Lewis shared that he already had peace with the other tribes by giving away weapons. That made the Blackfoot Tribe angry because it could interfere with them ruling since they are not the only ones with weapons.

Due to their anger, the Blackfoot Tribe tried to steal guns while Lewis and Clark were sleeping, and then a fight started. Two of their warriors were killed, and it was the first time that blood was lost between the U.S and the western tribes. Years later, three Americans were killed by the Blackfeet.

Location

~In the states of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota

~Currently, the Blackfoot tribe is in a reservation in Northwest Montana and it is a home to 7,321 people

Food

~The Blackfoot tribe were skilled hunters, so they mainly ate buffalo, fish, and other game

~To go with the meat, the Blackfoot ate fruits, herbs, berries, and roots

~The Blackfoot preferred roasting meat but they also sometimes boiled it in a container made of the hide of buffalo

Clothing

~In the summer the men only wore a breech cloth

~In the summer the women made dresses from male deer that were covered in beads

~In the winter, women added leggings to their dress

~In the winter, men wore a robe of tanned buffalo skin. The men also wore buckskin tunics that were covered in fur and beads.

They also wore feathers arranged in a halo. (as shown in the picture)

Homes

~The tribe lived in tepees made from buffalo and sticks. They were easy to fold up which is great for their nomadic lifestyle

~Their beds were also made from buffalo hides

weapons

~bows and arrows

~war clubs

~spears

~lances

~knives

~they also protect themselves with shields of buffalo hides

Language

~the tribe spoke the Algonquian language

Religion

~They believed in Animism which is the idea that the universe and all natural objects have spirits such as mountains, rocks, trees, rivers, etc.

~They believed in Manitou, the Great Spirit

Most famous leaders and cheifs

~Morning Owl

~Red Crow

~Heavy Runner

Mountain Chief

~Yellow Horse

~Red Plume

~Chief Crowfoot

~Chief Running Rabbit

enemies

~Cree

~Assiniboin

~ Sioux

~Crow

~Nez Perce

~Shoshone

~Flathead

~Their biggest enemy was the white man who they called the Big Knives