Question

The introduction of horses to the Great Plains of North America was a part of the Spanish colonial legacy. Identify the role of horses in the Plains Indian lifestyle and the impact these animals had on their lives ?

Answer 1

• Horses enabled Indians of the plains to travel longer distances, however as Indians met more humans, infectious diseases spread more broadly.
• Horses allowed the Indians to be incredibly successful in killing bison's which led to the animal becoming over-hunted. They often decided to compete for food with bison, which led to a replenishment of prairie grass.
• Dogs were substituted by Horses after the flourishing Pueblo horse trade as Plains Indians beasts of burden. It greatly benefited the Plains tribes in helping to make the hunters and warriors much more efficient.