USCIS 128:117. Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.

OpenAI. (2026).  Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.   [AI-generated infographic]. OpenAI.  Edited by Jennifer Gagliardi

American Indians, also called Native Americans or Indigenous peoples, are the first peoples who lived in North America before Europeans arrived.

For thousands of years, many different American Indian tribes lived across the land that is now the United States. Each tribe had its own language, culture, traditions, government, and way of life.

Some tribes lived in forests, some lived on the Great Plains, some lived in deserts, and others lived near rivers, mountains, or oceans. Different environments influenced how tribes built homes, found food, traveled, and traded with neighboring groups.

For example, the Cherokee Nation lived mainly in the southeastern United States and developed farming communities and written laws. The Navajo Nation lived in the Southwest and became known for sheep herding, weaving, and beautiful jewelry.

The Lakota and other Sioux tribes lived on the Great Plains and followed buffalo herds across large areas of land. Buffalo were very important because tribes used them for food, clothing, tools, and shelter.

The Hopi Tribe and Pueblo peoples built communities in the Southwest and became skilled farmers in dry desert areas. The Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope lived in Alaska and adapted to cold Arctic conditions.

Other tribes included the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma, Seminole Tribe of Florida, Oneida Indian Nation, Mohawk Nation, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, and many others.

Some tribes formed large alliances. One important example was the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, also called the Iroquois Confederacy. This alliance included tribes such as the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca.

The Haudenosaunee Confederacy created a system of representative government and cooperation between tribes. Some historians believe its ideas about unity and shared government later influenced American political thinking.

American Indian tribes developed farming, trade routes, governments, art, science, and religious traditions long before the United States was created. Native peoples grew crops such as corn, beans, and squash, which later became important foods throughout the world.

After Europeans arrived in North America, many tribes faced major changes. Diseases brought by Europeans killed large numbers of Native people. Conflicts over land also increased as European settlements expanded.

During the 1800s, the U.S. government forced many tribes to move from their homelands. One well-known example was the Trail of Tears, when many Cherokee people and other tribes were forced to move west during the 1830s. Thousands died during the difficult journey.

In the late 1800s, many American Indian children were sent to boarding schools where they were often forced to stop speaking their Native languages and practicing their traditions.

Despite these hardships, American Indian tribes survived and preserved many of their cultures, languages, and traditions.

During World War I and World War II, many Native Americans served in the U.S. military. Some Native American soldiers, called Code Talkers, used Native languages such as Navajo to send secret military messages during World War II.

Today, there are hundreds of federally recognized tribes in the United States. Many tribes govern reservations and continue to protect their languages, traditions, and communities.

American Indians continue to contribute to American society through government, military service, education, science, art, sports, environmental protection, and business.

Question 117 on the civics test asks applicants to name one American Indian tribe in the United States. Applicants may give the name of any tribe listed in the official USCIS answers, such as Apache, Cherokee, Navajo, Seminole, Sioux, or another accepted tribe.