The Indians of the Plains moved west in the 1600s and 1700s when the arrival of the horse allowed them to hunt the roaming herds of buffalo in greater numbers.

The Indians soon tamed the animal and became excellent horsemen.

Most of the farming tribes such as the Mandan had been wiped out by the European settlers by the gun or by disease.

The Indians lived in tipis (or tepees) like the one on the right. These were made by the women of the family using animal hides (skins). The poles supporting the tipi were also used to turn it into a travois (sled) for moving on. It was said a tipi could be dismantled and packed away in fifteen minutes! Handy for quick escape from the enemy!

In the village the men were hunters and warriors. The women would make the food, clothing, lodge covers and blankets. Most of their raw materials came from the buffalo.

The Indians only hunted what they needed. Everything was used - the bones for tools, brains for tanning skin into leather, the tongue for hairbrushes and even buffalo dung was dried into chips for fuel!

Marriages were sometimes arranged but usually were between couples in love. To impress his future wife a young man would show off his bravery or hunting skills. He would then live with the wife's family as an Indian's lineage is through the mother, unlike the Europeans.

Polygamy is the practice of having more than one wife. This was not uncommon amongst Plains Indians because of the shortage of men caused by hunting and warfare. Another, rarer, practice was to leave old people behind if they were to slow the tribe down.

So what was it like to live in a tipi?

Here are two opinions - who do you trust?