| Great Plains Bison Hunters | |
| Where they lived | East of the Rocky Mountains, in present-day eastern Colorado, northeastern New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and southwestern Canada |
| Lifestyle | Nomadic |
| How they acquired food | Hunting |
| What they ate | Bison |
| Technological developments | Acquired bow and arrow from the north; after Europeans’ arrival, used horses to hunt |
| Great Basin Cultures | |
| Where they lived | Between the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada, present-day eastern California, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado |
| Lifestyle | Nomadic |
| How they acquired food | Fishing, hunting, and gathering |
| What they ate | Fish, deer, antelope, bison, smaller game, plants, and piñon nuts |
| Technological developments | None |
| Pacific Coast Cultures: Chumash and Northwest Peoples | |
| Where they lived | Chumash: around present-day Santa Barbara, California; Northwest peoples: present-day northern California, Oregon, Washington, and the west coast of Canada |
| Lifestyle | Village settlements |
| How they acquired food | Chumash: hunting and gathering; Northwest peoples: fishing |
| What they ate | Chumash: acorns; Northwest peoples: salmon, halibut, and other fish |
| Technological developments | Northwest peoples: elaborate wood carvings that denoted wealth and status; huge canoes for fishing, hunting, and conducting warfare against neighboring tribes |
| Eastern Woodland Cultures | |
| Where they lived | East of the Mississippi River, in the major river valleys of the Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, and Cumberland; the Great Lakes region; and the Atlantic coast |
| Lifestyle | Permanent settlements |
| How they acquired food | Hunting and gathering |
| What they ate | Deer, plants, seeds, and nuts |
| Technological developments | Agriculture and pottery |