8 interesting inventions by Native Americans

Native Americans thrived throughout the Americas and developed many innovations that continue to use today.

From medical advancements to sleeping arrangements, we can trace many things back to them.

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Anesthetics

They used three ingredients to numb the pain. Coca, peyote and datura were used as early as 1000 B.C.

Aspirin

Salicin from the bark of an American black willow turns into salicylic acid in the body. That's a main ingredient found in modern day aspirin.

Bunk beds

The Iroquois in Northeast U.S. used to live in long houses and developed the idea of stacking beds on top of one another for space

Chewing gum

The origins of Orbit come from when Americans would chew sap to relieve stress. Chicle is the main ingredient in modern gum and was found in the Sapodilla tree.

Hammocks

Columbus first encountered hammocks in the Caribbean. He was impressed by the cool, clean way of sleeping and introduced them to Spanish society.

Hockey

Both ice and field hockey find their roots in the American Indian game 'shinny'. The game was mostly played by women and was played throughout North America.

Parkas

The insulated jackets were first developed by the Inuit people in the Article Circle. Caribou and sealskin were the most common materials used.

Syringe

Though a Scotsman is credited with developing the medical instrument, American Indians were using similar devices before colonization. They used hollow bird bones or animal bladders to inject or clean wounds.

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