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Native Games

For many Native Americans, games were a form of entertainment, but they also served important social, ceremonial, and political purposes.

Games often taught skills and values necessary for adult life, such as patience, sportsmanship, dexterity, hand-eye coordination, endurance, and critical thinking.

Great Lakes Traditional Culture

Environment

Regionally, Great Lakes Indians are part of what is called the Woodland Culture Area. The Woodlands include the forested eastern part of North America, east of the Mississippi River and north of Cape Hatteras and extending north of the Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence seaway into the Canadian Maritimes. In their basic pattern and way of life, Woodland Indian cultures are broadly similar, but also include regional environmental and cultural differences.

Material Culture and the Arts

For Native people in the Great Lakes area, finding sufficient food was sometimes a challenge.

They structured their seasonal round of movements and forays to different areas to take advantage of rice, nuts, berries and other foods which were plentiful as well as travelling to good fishing spots and areas where game was plentiful.

Archaeological History - Prehistoric Peoples

Archaeology is the study of past cultures based on objects and evidence they have left behind.

To know about a past for which there are no written records, physical remains must be studied in an orderly way. As with any science, this field is continually changing as new discoveries are made and new ideas are developed. The following is a brief discussion on Wisconsin archaeology, generally representing the views of archaeologists and anthropologists.

The Meunier American Centennial Target Rifle

Made by Milwaukeean John Meunier (1834-1919) and displayed at the American Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876, this rifle is considered one of the most handsome and well-crafted schuetzen rifles extant. Meunier built this rifle as a tribute to his adopted Country and the discipline of German-style target shooting (schuetzen). This .41 caliber percussion rifle boasts silver-washed and engraved steel furniture with gold inlay and a beautifully carved stock demonstrating the meticulous work of the Meunier shop and John Meunier's personal dedication to the sport of schuetzen.

Item Image
rifle
Catalog Number
N38104
Accession Number
29301
128

Second Floor Exhibits

The Second Floor exhibits take you on a journey through North America, intertwining natural environments and Native American cultures.

Habitats range from the Wisconsin Woodlands to the Northeast forests and Florida mangroves, to Southwest deserts and the Northwest coast. Native American cultures, both contemporary and past, are featured among these habitats, subtly making the connection between people and their environment.