What Types of Weapons Did Native Americans Use?

By Staff WriterLast Updated March 24, 2020

Native Americans used bows and arrows, spears and war cubs as weapons. Native Americans were also known to use knives, swords, axes, sticks and tomahawks.

Early Native Americans mostly used weapons made out of stone. These primitive weapons are divided into cutting weapons (i.e. knives), striking weapons (i.e. axes), throwing weapons (i.e. tomahawks), piercing weapons (i.e. bow and arrows) and defensive weapons (i.e. shields). Some Native American Tribes (such as the Cherokees) used blowguns that shot out poison darts. Once Native Americans came into contact with the Europeans around the 1600s, their weapons evolved. They began using flintlock muskets, Winchester rifles, and carbine rifles.