Includes bibliographical references (pages 1086-1296) and index.

Volume 1: Introduction / Raymond J. DeMallie -- History of archeological research / Waldo R. Wedel and Richard A. Krause -- History of ethnological and ethnohistorical research / Raymond J. DeMallie and John C. Ewers -- Environment and subsistence / Waldo R. Wedel and George C. Frison -- The languages of the Plains: Introduction / Ives Goddard -- The Algonquian languages of the Plains / Ives Goddard -- Caddoan languages / Douglas R. Parks -- Siouan languages / Douglas R. Parks and Robert L. Rankin -- Hunting and gathering tradition: Canadian Plains / Ian Dyck and Richard E. Morlan -- Hunting and gathering tradition: Northwestern and Central Plains / George C. Frison -- Hunting and gathering tradition: Southern Plains / Susan C. Vehik -- Plains Woodland tradition / Alfred E. Johnson -- Plains village tradition: Central / Waldo R. Wedel -- Plains village tradition: Middle Missouri / W. Raymond Wood -- Plains village tradition: Coalescent / Richard A. Krause -- Plains village tradition: Southern / Robert E. Bell and Robert L. Brooks -- Plains village tradition: Eastern periphery and Oneota tradition / Dale R. Henning -- Plains village tradition: Western Periphery / James H. Gunnerson -- Plains village tradition: Postcontact / Donald J. Lehmer -- History of the United States Plains until 1850 / William R. Swagerty -- History of the United States Plains since 1850 / Loretta Fowler -- History of the Canadian Plains until 1870 / Jennifer S.H. Brown -- History of the Canadian Plains since 1870 / David McCrady -- Hidatsa / Frank Henderson Stewart -- Mandan / W. Raymond Wood and Lee Irwin -- Arikara / Douglas R. Parks -- Three Affiliated Tribes / Mary Jane Schneider -- Omaha / Margot P. Liberty, W. Raymond Wood, and Lee Irwin -- Ponca / Donald N. Brown and Lee Irwin -- Iowa / Mildred Mott Wedel -- Otoe and Missouria / Marjorie M. Schweitzer -- Kansa / Garrick A. Bailey and Gloria A. Young -- Osage Garrick A. Bailey -- Quapaw / Gloria A. Young and Michael P. Hoffman -- Pawnee / Douglas R. Parks -- Wichita / William W. Newcomb, Jr. -- Kitsai / Douglas R. Parks -- Assiniboine / Raymond J. DeMallie and David Reed Miller -- Stoney / Ian A.L. Getty and Erik D. Gooding -- Blackfoot ; Sarcee / Hugh A. Dempsey -- Plains Cree / Regna Darnell -- Plains Ojibwa / Patricia C. Albers -- Plains Métis / Diane Paulette Payment --

Volume 2: Gros Ventre / Loretta Fowler and Regina Flannery -- Crow / Fred W. Voget -- Sioux until 1850 / Raymond J. DeMallie -- Santee / Patricia C. Albers -- Yankton and Yanktonai ; Teton / Raymond J. DeMallie -- Sioux, 1930-2000 / Dennis M. Christafferson -- Arapaho / Loretta Fowler -- Cheyenne / John H. Moore, Margot P. Liberty, and A. Terry Straus -- Comanche / Thomas W. Kavanagh -- Kiowa / Jerrold E. Levy -- Plains Apache / Morris W. Foster and Martha McCollough -- Lipan Apache / Morris E. Opler -- Tonkawa / William W. Newcomb, Jr. and Thomas N. Campbell -- Enigmatic groups / Douglas R. Parks -- Kinship and social organization / Fred Eggan and Joseph A. Maxwell -- Sun dance / JoAllyn Archambault -- Intertribal religious movements / Gloria A. Young -- Celebrations and giveaways / Gloria A. Young and Erik D. Gooding -- Music / Gloria A. Young -- Art until 1900 / Candace S. Greene -- Art since 1900 / JoAllyn Archambault -- Tribal traditions and records / Raymond J. DeMallie and Douglas R. Parks.