Question

Which animal was central to the plains Indians way of life but was hunted almost to extinction by white settlers

Answer 1

Buffalo. Indians hunted buffalo and used every part of their body, as to not waste anything. The white settlers did not do this, and wasted a lot of buffalo. They killed thousands of them and eventually caused the buffalo to be endangered. 

Answer 2

The American bison was central to the Plains Indians' way of life but was hunted almost to extinction by white settlers.