Native Americans used bows and arrows for hunting and warring.
Movies have frequently projected images of Native American warriors fighting tirelessly with bows and arrows to protect their land from armed soldiers. Though these images exaggerate Native American life in many ways, one thing is accurate: Native Americans were skilled at wielding the bow and arrow.
Wood
Wood was an integral part of bows and arrows that Native Americans designed. They would select the best available wood to make the bow and the shaft for the arrowhead. Using a high-quality wood helped the bows and arrows last longer and lent to the bow's length and straightness. Native Americans used sharp knives to whittle their bows and their arrowheads' shafts. Typical trees used for bows and arrow shafts included ash, oak, yew, hickory, elm and juniper.
String
Native American bows and arrows often contained varying amounts of string. The string allowed Native American artisans to bind items together in the construction of bows and arrows. Many tribes used string made of animal sinew from elk and deer's tendons. Some tribes also used string from the yucca root.
Stone
Native Americans made arrowheads from abundant natural resources including stone, bone and shells. They also made arrowheads from scrap iron and glass in the 18th and 19th centuries. Each arrowhead had notches on the point's base, so that it would be easier to attach to the shaft. There was no prototypical shape for arrowheads, which were usually small and thin. Large arrowheads served as knives or as spears in conjunction with throwing sticks.
Feathers
Many tribes added feathers to their arrows. The feathers were set at the fletching or nock end of the arrows. Wild turkey feathers were commonly used for hunting arrows; feathers from birds of prey including eagles and hawks were used for arrows used in war. Feathers were attached to the arrows' ends with sinew or tar made from tree sap.
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