13. Basket making thrived in Appalachia, and is widespread today
Throughout early America, basket making was an art practiced by settlers, with some styles copied from the natives using the available materials, and some adapted from those made in their homelands of Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. Baskets woven by Appalachian settlers varied in shape, style, and manner of use based on the types of bark and reeds available in the local wilds, and the shape of the items they were made to carry. Basket weaving remains an art form throughout Appalachia. Some are ongoing commercial concerns, creating designs available for purchase in souvenir shops and online storefronts, with many supported by regional schools and universities.