Shawnee Tribe

How do you pronounce "Shawnee?" What does it mean?It's pronounced "shaw-NEE." It comes from the Shawnee word shawanwa, which means "southerner." In history books, you can sometimes see the same name spelled Shawano or Sewanee. 

Where do the Shawnees live?The original Shawnee home land was in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. But the Shawnees were far-ranging people. Shawnee villages were located as far north as New York state and as far south as Georgia. Here is a map showing Shawnee and other Indian migrations. Today, most Shawnees live in Oklahoma, where they were deported by the US government. 

How is the Shawnee Indian nation organized?There are three Shawnee bands in Oklahoma. Like most Native American tribes, the Shawnee Indian tribes are autonomous. That means each tribe has its own government, laws, police, and services, just like a small country. However, the Shawnee are also US citizens and must obey American law. 

In the past, each Shawnee village or band was governed by its own chief and tribal council. The Shawnees also had war chiefs, who were chosen by other warriors based on their bravery and military skill. But all of them owed allegiance to one main principal chief. The principal chief was a member of the ruling clan who the other Shawnee leaders chose to be in charge of the entire tribe. The Shawnee principal chief was a powerful figure, but he needed the support of his people to stay in power-- otherwise he could be replaced. Today each Shawnee tribe is governed by a tribal committee that is elected by all the tribal members. 

Do the Shawnee live on reservations?Technically, no. The lands belonging to the Shawnee and other Oklahoma Indian tribes are trust lands, not reservations. There are some legal differences between these two kinds of lands, but they are not very important. Many Oklahoma Indians call their homelands a reservation anyway. 

What language do the Shawnees speak?Shawnee Indians all s peak English today. Some elders also speak their native Shawnee language, which is songlike and has complicated verbs with many parts. If you'd like to know a few easy Shawnee words, "bezon" (pronounced bay-zone) is a friendly greeting and "neahw" (pronounced nay-aw) means "thank you." You can listen to Shawnee being spoken here and read a Shawnee picture glossary here. 

Today Shawnee is an endangered language because most children aren't learning it anymore. However, some Shawnee people are working to keep their language alive. 

What was Shawnee culture like in the past and today?Here are the home pages of the Absentee Shawnee and Eastern Shawnee tribes, where you can learn about the Shawnee people past and present. You can also read simple articles about the Shawnee Indians here and here. 

How do Shawnee Indian children live?They do the same things any children do--play with each other, go to school and help around the house. In the past, Shawnee kids had more chores and less time to play, just like early colonial children. But Shawnee children did have dolls, toys and games, like miniature bows and arrows and hand-held ball games. Like many Native Americans, Shawnee mothers traditionally carried their babies in cradleboards on their backs--a custom which many American parents have adoptednow. 

What were men and women's roles in the Shawnee tribe?
Shawnee men were hunters and sometimes went to war to protect their families. Shawnee women were farmers and also did child care and cooking. Both genders took part in storytelling, artwork and music, and traditional medicine. In the past, Shawnee principal chiefs were always men, but either a man or a woman could be a village chief. 

What were Shawnee homes like?The Shawnees didn't live in tepees. They lived in small round dwellings called wikkums, or wigwams. Here are some images of American Indian wigwams like the ones Shawnee Indians used. Each Shawnee village also included a larger council house built from wood. Today, Native Americans only build a wigwam for fun or to connect with their heritage, not for shelter. Most Shawnees live in modern houses and apartment buildings, just like you. 

What was Shawnee clothing like? Did they wear feather headdresses and face paint?Shawnee women wore skirts with leggings. Shawnee men wore breechclouts and leggings. Shirts were not necessary in the Shawnee culture, but both men and women often wore ponchos in cool weather. The Shawnees wore moccasins on their feet. As they migrated from place to place, the Shawnees adopted clothing styles from many other Indian tribes and from white settlers as well. Here is a picture of Shawnee Indian clothing, and photos and links about American Indian dress in general. 

The Shawnees didn't wear long headdresses like the Sioux. Sometimes they wore a beaded headband with a feather or two in it. Shawnee people usually wore their hair long, though Shawnee warriors sometimes shaved their heads in the Mohawk style. Many Shawnees painted designs onto their faces, and some woretribal tattoos. 

Today, some Shawnee people still have a traditional headband or moccasins, but they wear modern clothes like jeans instead of breechcloths... and they only wear feathers in their hair on special occasions like a dance. 

What was Shawnee food like in the days before supermarkets?The Shawnees were farming people. Shawnee women planted and harvested corn and squash. Shawnee men hunted in the forest for deer, turkeys, and small game and went fishing in the rivers and lakes. Shawnee Indian food included soup, cornbread, and stews. 

What kinds of stories do the Shawnees tell?There are lots of traditional Shawnee legends and fairy tales. Storytelling is very important to the Shawnee Indian culture. Here is one well-known tale about a Shawnee man who married a sky daughter. 

What about Shawnee religion?Religions are too complicated and culturally sensitive to describe appropriately in only a few simple sentences, and we strongly want to avoid misleading anybody. Here are links to learn more about Shawnee mythology or this site about Indian religion in general. 
http://www.bigorrin.org/shawnee_kids.htm

Thanks for your interest in the Shawnee Indian people and their language! 

                                   Ohio

Ohio  is a state in the Midwestern United States. Ohio is the 34th most extensive, the 7th most populous, and the 10th most densely populated of the 50 United States. The state's capital and largest city is Columbus.

The name "Ohio" originated from Iroquois word ohi-yo’, meaning "great river" or "large creek". The state, originally partitioned from the Northwest Territory, was admitted to the Union as the 17th state (and the first under the Northwest Ordinance) on March 1, 1803.Although there are conflicting narratives regarding the origin of the nickname, Ohio is historically known as the "Buckeye State" (relating to the Ohio buckeye tree) and Ohioans are also known as "Buckeyes"

The government of Ohio is composed of the executive branch, led by the Governor; the legislative branch, which comprises the Ohio General Assembly; and the judicial branch, which is led by the Supreme Court. Currently, Ohio occupies 16 seats in the United States House of Representatives. Ohio is known for its status as both a swing state and a bellwether in national elections.

Geography

Ohio's geographic location has proven to be an asset for economic growth and expansion. Because Ohio links the Northeast to the Midwest, much cargo and business traffic passes through its borders along its well-developed highways. Ohio has the nation's 10th largest highway network, and is within a one-day drive of 50% of North America's population and 70% of North America's manufacturing capacity.

Climate
The climate of Ohio is a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfa) throughout most of the state except in the extreme southern counties of Ohio's Bluegrass region section which are located on the northern periphery of the humid subtropical climate and Upland South region of the United States. Summers are typically hot and humid throughout the state, while winters generally range from cool to cold. Precipitation in Ohio is moderate year-round.

Records
The highest recorded temperature was 113 °F (45 °C), near Gallipolis on July 21, 1934. The lowest recorded temperature was −39 °F (−39 °C), at Milligan on February 10, 1899

More information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio
Famous Ohioans

Neil Alden Armstrong astronaut, Wapakoneta
George Bellows painter, lithographer, Columbus
Willard H. Bennett inventor, Findlay
Ambrose Bierce journalist, Meigs County
Albert J. Beveridge political leader, Highland
Erma Bombeck columnist, humorist, Dayton
Bill Boyd / Hopalong Cassidy actor, Cambridge
William Jennings Bryan U.S. presidential candidate, Salem
William Meriam Burton inventor, Cleveland
Milton Caniff cartoonist, Hillsboro
Nancy Cartwright voice of Bart Simpson, Kettering
John R. Commons economist, Hollansburg
Hart Crane poet, Garrettsville

More information: http://www.50states.com/bio/ohio.htm#.UL48cJKbGZo

                              Lewis and Clark expedition

  

August 1, 1804

[Clark]
August the 1st 1804    a fair morning, Sent out two men after the horses & one back to examine if the Indians have been there,  Beever Cought last night, the air is Cool and pleasing

Equal altitudes & magnetic Azmoth

azmth altd. Time      m   s h.    m    s.
Comp. N. 86° E. 68° 47' 15" = A. M. 7    52    55 P.M. 3    50    42
  "    54    20 "    52      3
  "    55    47 "    53    31

Prepared the Pipe of Peace verry flashey.    wind rose at 10 oClock and blowed from W. S. W.    very pleasent all day    Several men geathering grapes &c.    two men after the horses which Strayed the night before last.    those Praries produce the Blue Current Common in the U. S.    the Goose Berry Common in the U. S, two Kind of Honeysuckle, the Bush which I have Seen in Kentucky, with a paile Pink flower, also one which grow in Clusters about 4 or 5 feet high bearing a Short flour in clusters of the like Colour.

[Clark]
August the 1st 1804    a fair morning    Despatched two men after the horses lost yesterday, one man back to the place from which the messinger was Sent for the Ottoes to See if any Indians was or had been there Since our deptr.    he return'd and informed that no person had been there Sence we left it. The Prarie which is Situated below our Camp is above the high water leavel and rich Covered with Grass from 5 to 8 feet high intersperced with Copse of Hazel, Plumbs, Currents (like those of the U.S.) Rasberries & Grapes of Dift. Kinds.    also produceing a Variety of Plants and flowers not Common in the United States, two Kind of honey Suckle one which grows to a kind of Srub. Common about Harrods burgh in Kentucky   the other are not So large or tall and bears a flow[er] in Clusters Short and of a light Pink Colour, the leaves differ from any of the othe Kind in as much as the Lieves are Distinkd & does not Surround the Stalk as all the other Kind does


[Ordway]
August 1st 1804 Wednesday.    a fair morning.    2 men out hunting    the Horses not found.    1 large bever caught last night in G. Drewyers trap. Drewyer went to hunt for the Horses. Shields went out a short time and killed & brought in a Deer; the wind from S. E. Jo. Fields killed & brought in a Deer. George Gibson killed a fat Buck brought in the Skin & Tallow & Some of the meat &C.—

[Floyd]
 Wendesday august 1th 1804    Lay by all this day expecting the Indianes every ouer    Sent George Draugher out to Hunt ouer Horses    Sent one man   Down the River to whare we eat Diner on the 28th of July to See if aney Indianes 〈were〉 Had been thare    He Returnd and Saw no Sigen of them

[Gass]
 Wednesday 1st Aug. 1804.    Three of our men again went out to hunt the horses, but returned without them. They brought a deer, and two of our other hunters   killed two more.

[Whitehouse]
Wendy August 1st    the Morning was Clear    G. Druire & Colter went to look for the horses that was lost on the 30th of last month; G. Gibson was Sent back One Days Journey to See if the Indians came there with Liberty that was Sent for them to come to a Treaty with Captn. Lewis & Wm. Clark at the Camp of the Brareowes—      Shields Kill One Deer    Gibson returnd but did not see liberty or the Indians there

More information:  http://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu/read/?_xmlsrc=1804-08-01.xml&_xslsrc=LCstyles.xsl

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

1807–1882

By far the most widely known and best-loved American poet of his time, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow achieved a level of national and international prominence possibly unequaled in the literary history of the United States. Poems such as "Paul Revere's Ride," Evangeline, A Tale of Acadie (1847), and "A Psalm of Life" became mainstays of national culture, long remembered by generations of readers who studied them in school. Longfellow's celebrity in his own time, however, has yielded to changing literary tastes and to reactions against the genteel tradition of authorship he represented. The only American writer honored in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey (his bust was installed there with due ceremony in 1884) has suffered an eclipse of reputation nearly as unparalleled as his original success. Still, Longfellow's achievements in fictional and nonfictional prose, in a striking variety of poetic forms and modes, and in translation from many European languages resulted in a remarkably productive and influential literary career—one achieved despite pressures of college teaching and repeated personal tragedies. Even if time has proved him something less than the master poet he never claimed to be, Longfellow made pioneering contributions to American literary life by exemplifying the possibility of a successful authorial career, by linking American poetry to European traditions beyond England, and by developing a surprisingly wide readership for romantic poetry. 

If you want to read more about Henry Wadsworth Longfellow please visit this link:

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/henry-wadsworth-longfellow

Virginia officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state located in the South Atlantic region of the United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are shaped by the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Chesapeake Bay, which provide habitat for much of its flora and fauna. The capital of the Commonwealth is Richmond; and Virginia Beach is the most populous city. Fairfax County is the most populous political subdivision. The wealthiest is Loudoun County. The Commonwealth's population is over eight million.

The area's history begins with several indigenous groups, including the Powhatan. In 1607 the London Company established the Colony of Virginia as the first permanent New World English colony. Slave labor and the land acquired from displaced Native American tribes each played a significant role in the colony's early politics and plantation economy. Virginia was one of the 13 Colonies in the American Revolution and joined the Confederacy in the American Civil War, during which Richmond was made the Confederate capital and Virginia's northwestern counties separated to form the state of West Virginia. Although the Commonwealth was under conservative single-party rule for nearly a century followingReconstruction, both major national parties are competitive in modern Virginia.

The Virginia General Assembly is the oldest legislature in the Western Hemisphere. The state government has been repeatedly ranked most effective by the Pew Center on the States. It is unique in how it treats cities and counties equally, manages local roads, and prohibits its governors from serving consecutive terms. Virginia's economy has many sectors: agriculture in the Shenandoah Valley; federal agencies in Northern Virginia, including the headquarters of the Department of Defense and CIA; and military facilities in Hampton Roads, the site of the region's main seaport. Virginia's public schools and many colleges and universities have contributed to growing media and technology sectors. As a result, computer chips have become the state's leading export

Geography

Virginia has a total area of 42,774.2 square miles (110,784.7 km²), including 3,180.13 square miles (8,236.5 km²) of water, making it the 35th-largest state by area.^[9] Virginia is bordered by Maryland and Washington, D.C. to the north and east; by the Atlantic Ocean to the east; by North Carolina and Tennessee to the south; by Kentucky to the west; and by West Virginia to the north and west. Virginia's boundary with Maryland and Washington, D.C. extends to the low-water mark of the south shore of the Potomac River.^[10] The southern border is defined as the 36° 30′ parallel north, though surveyor error led to deviations of as much as three arcminutes

Geology and terrain

Virginia is divided into five geographic regions.

The Chesapeake Bay separates the contiguous portion of the Commonwealth from the two-county peninsula of Virginia's Eastern Shore. The bay was formed following a meteoroid impact crater during the Eocene. Many of Virginia's riversflow into the Chesapeake Bay, including the Potomac, Rappahannock, York, and James, which create three peninsulas in the bay.^[13][14] Geographically and geologically, Virginia is divided into five regions from east to west: Tidewater,Piedmont, Blue Ridge Mountains, Ridge and Valley, and Cumberland Plateau

Climate

Virginia state-wide averages
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D 3.1 46 26 3.1 48 27 3.7 57 34 3.3 67 43 4 76 52 3.7 83 60 4.3 86 64 4.1 85 63 3.5 79 57 3.4 69 45 3.2 58 35 3.2 48 28 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation totals in inches Source: University of Virginia data 1895–1998
[

The climate of Virginia becomes increasingly warmer and more humid farther south and east.^[27] Seasonal extremes vary from average lows of 26 °F (−3 °C) in January to average highs of 86 °F (30 °C) in July. The Atlantic ocean has a strong effect on eastern and southeastern coastal areas of the state. Influenced by the Gulf Stream, coastal weather is subject to hurricanes, most pronouncedly near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay.

History

Jamestown 2007 marked Virginia's quadricentennial year, celebrating 400 years since the establishment of the Jamestown Colony. The celebrations highlighted contributions from Native Americans, Europeans, and Africans, each of which had a significant part in shaping Virginia's history.Warfare, including among these groups, has also had an important role. Virginia was a focal point in conflicts from the French and Indian War, the American Revolution and the Civil War, to the Cold War and the War on Terrorism.^] Stories about historic figures, such as those surrounding Pocahontas and John Smith, George Washington's childhood, or the plantation elite in the slave society of the antebellum period, have also created potent myths of state history, and have served as rationales for Virginia's ideology

Flora and fauna

Forests cover 65% of the state, primarily with deciduous, broad leaf treesLower altitudes are more likely to have small but dense stands of moisture-loving hemlocks and mosses in abundance, with hickory and oak in the Blue Ridge.However since the early 1990s, Gypsy moth infestations have eroded the dominance of oak forests. In the lowland tidewater yellow pines tend to dominate, with bald cypress wetland forests in the Great Dismal and Nottoway swamps. Other common trees and plants include chestnut, maple, tulip poplar, mountain laurel, milkweed, daisies, and many species of ferns. The largest areas of wilderness are along the Atlantic coast and in the western mountains, where the largest populations of trillium wildflowers in North America are found. The Atlantic coast regions are host to flora commonly associated with the South Atlantic pine forests and lower Southeast Coastal Plain maritime flora, the latter found primarily in southeastern Virginia.

Civil War and aftermath

Richmond, the capital of the Confederate States of America, was burned prior to its capture by the Union.

In addition to agriculture, slave labor was increasingly used in mining, shipbuilding and other industries.Nat Turner's slave rebellion in 1831 and John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859 showed deep social discontent about slavery and its role in the plantation economy. By 1860, almost half a million people, roughly 31% of the total population of Virginia, were enslaved.This division contributed to the start of theAmerican Civil War.

Virginia voted to secede from the United States on April 17, 1861, after the Battle of Fort Sumter and Abraham Lincoln's call for volunteers. On April 24, Virginia joined the Confederate States of America, which chose Richmond as its capital After the 1863 Wheeling Convention, 48 counties in the northwest separated to form a new state of West Virginia, which chose to remain loyal to the Union. Virginian general Robert E. Lee took command of the Army of Northern Virginia in 1862, and led invasions into Union territory, ultimately becoming commander of all Confederate forces. During the war, more battles were fought in Virginia than anywhere else, including Bull Run, the Seven Days Battles, Chancellorsville, and the concluding Battle of Appomattox Court House.^[80] After the capture of Richmond in 1865, the capital was briefly moved to Danville. Virginia was formally restored to the United States in 1870, due to the work of the Committee of Nine.

During the post-war Reconstruction era, Virginia adopted a constitution which provided for free public schools, and guaranteed political, civil, and voting rights .The populist Readjuster Party ran an inclusive coalition until the conservative whiteDemocratic Party gained power after 1883. It passed segregationist Jim Crow laws and in 1902 rewrote the Constitution of Virginia to include a poll tax and other voter registration measures that effectively disfranchised most African Americans and many poor whites. Though their schools were segregated and underfunded, as were services, due to a lack of political representation, African Americans were able to create their own communities.

If you want to know more, please visit - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia

Virginia State Parks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8AMzn2QtGI