Native Americans of the eastern Plains still lived in earth lodges. The horse made it easy for the Plains hunters to reach the buffalo herds quickly. Their horses could pull dead buffalo back to the village.

Groups living on the western Plains no longer lived in earth lodges. These Native Americans became year-round buffalo hunters. Large teepees became their homes. Horses pulled the teepees from camp to camp.

Now that buffalo were so much easier to hunt, buffalo skins became the main material for clothing. Buffalo hides were also used for bedding and teepees. Buffalo meat became the main food. Native Americans dried buffalo meat in the sun to preserve it. It tasted good and lasted a long time. They made tools from the horns and bones.

They used dried buffalo manure, called buffalo chips, as fuel.

A Native American camp, early 1900s. Many groups moved frequently because camps could be moved more easily with the help of horses.