Begin your discussion by addressing the following prompt:
Give an example of how a group of early Americans adapted to their environment, and one example of how a group changed their environment to fit their needs.
One example of a group of early Americans adapting to their environment would be the Native American tribes of the Great Plains. These tribes, such as the Sioux and the Cheyenne, were nomadic peoples who followed the migration patterns of buffalo herds for hunting and gathering food. They adapted to the harsh climate and vast open spaces of the Plains by learning how to efficiently hunt and utilize all parts of the buffalo for survival. They also developed teepees as portable and easily assembled shelters that could be quickly moved as they followed the buffalo herds.
On the other hand, an example of a group changing their environment to fit their needs would be the Hohokam people of the American Southwest. The Hohokam lived in what is now present-day Arizona and developed an extensive irrigation system to bring water from rivers and streams to their agricultural fields in the desert. They dug canals, built reservoirs, and created floodplain agriculture to cultivate crops such as corn, beans, and squash. By manipulating the landscape with their irrigation system, the Hohokam were able to sustain a larger population and create a more stable food supply in an otherwise arid environment.
Both of these examples demonstrate how early American tribes were able to successfully adapt to and change their environments to meet their needs for survival and prosperity.