Question

What was an effect of contact between the Plains Indians and the Spanish?

Answer 1

One major effect was the acquisition of horses which completely changed the culture of the plains Indians.

Explanation:

Before the contact with the Spanish the Plains tribes had to travel and hunt on foot. This limited the areas that the plains tribes could occupy. The American Bison was hunted in the forest and by starting fires to drive the bison over the cliffs and into traps. Water was hard to come by on the open plains so the tribes lived mainly on the edges of the plains and along the rivers and water ways.

After the acquisition of horses from the Spanish the plains Indians actually then became the plains Indians. The mobility provided by the horses allowed the Tribes to spread out over the open plains.
The tribes hunted the bison directly from horse back. The horses carried the teepees food, and water across the open plains. The tribes were no longer limited to the edges of the plains and water ways. Stealing horses from other tribes and breeding horses became a way of life on the plains.