What are 5 houses of Native Americans?

Answer 1

Historically, many different types of dwelling were constructed by North American natives, depending on available resources. Some were made to be almost permanent, but most were temporary and were relatively flimsy structures. Five types of dwelling would be:

1. The wikiup. This was a very small, temporary dwelling constructed by Apaches and other desert tribes; it had a framework of branches and brushwood and could be left mainly uncovered or have a covering of more brushwood, dry grass and/or trade cloth, tree bark or hides. A wikiup could be constructed very quickly and might only be used for one night, or much longer.
2. The longhouse. This large and almost permanent dwelling was used by eastern woodlands tribes with access to large quantities of timber, poles, tree bark and long roots for use as rope. It was long, tall, wide and rectangular in plan, with either flat or rounded ends and either a pitched or rounded roof. Sleeping platforms were made along both internal walls and fire-pits were made along the central passageway - several families could live inside.
3. The wigwam. This was a small and temporary dwelling used by eastern woodlands people - always using a framework of poles covered in birchbark sheets. Either domed or cone-shaped and only large enough for a few people, the wigwam was used by groups while travelling or hunting.
4. The Plains lodge or tipi. Often very large and capable of housing several generations of an extended family, tipiswere temporary dwellings that could be rapidly put up and taken down. They used a basis of a tripod of three poles (four in the case of the Crow tribe) tied together at the top; against these further poles were placed before the cover of buffalo cow-hides was wrapped around and pinned down the front with pointed wooden skewers. Large stones were sometimes placed on the lower edge to keep out snow or wind (rings of stones today mark places where tipis were erected in the distant past).
5. The plank house of the west coast. Western coastal tribes were the only native Americans to develop the skill of splitting huge cedar logs into planks, which were used to construct houses and sometimes sea-going boats. In front of each house would be erected the totem poles giving the family and clan symbols of those within.

The links below take you to images of each kind of dwelling: