Over thirty American Indian tribes sparsely inhabited the Great Plains before the arrival of European settlers. The system of government and overall social structure varied greatly among these tribes. While the Cheyenne Indians developed a sophisticated government with a hierarchical political system, other tribes, such as the Comanche people, were more centered on attacking, and cared less about having an organized government. The differences between the social structures of the Plains' tribes greatly affected their relations with each other. Many cultural differences regarding the ways in which they governed themselves or determined status led to disputes between conflicting tribes, notably the Cheyenne and Comanche tribes of the Great Plains. At one end of the cultural spectrum lies the aforementioned Cheyenne Indian tribe. The Cheyenne were originally sedentary, but had transitioned into a nomadic hunter-gatherer society by the point of European contact. Unlike many other tribes, the Cheyenne were matrilineal, basing kinship…show more content… Comanche literally translated into “anyone who wants to fight me all the time.” The Comanche were a powerful tribe, having an estimated population of up to 30,000. Being one of the first tribes to use horses in combat, they gained a reputation as conquerors of the Southern Plains. Unlike the Cheyenne, the Comanche people did not have a single accepted leader, instead they had a Peace Chief and a War Chief. The War Chief, having had to prove himself a great fighter, was ranked highly in the community. Great warriors always held the utmost respect within their community. Males would learn to hunt and fight from a young age, while females tended to their children and homes. During wartime, the War Chief had full command over decisions, allowing him to react quickly and aggressively. Because of these quick decisions, the Comanche tribe was at war for most of its