People of the Eastern Woodlands

Who they were:

The Northern nations of the Mikmaq, Odawa and Algonquian nations

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all spoke the Algonquian language. They survived by fishing, hunting

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and gathering. The more Southern nations of the Iroquois were the

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Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga and Seneca. The Iroquois

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nations were dependent on farming.

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What they lived in:

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People of the Eastern Woodlands lived in wooden buildings called

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longhouses. They were named for their long rectangular shape. They

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were one-room buildings, usually with several fire pits burning for

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cooking and warmth. Usually, multiple generations of families lived

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together in the same longhouse. Not all longhouses were used as

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traditional houses, some were used for special ceremonies or food

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storage.

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What they ate:

Division of labor was common in the Eastern Woodlands nations.

Women were mostly responsible for the cultivating and gathering of

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plants such as maize (corn), beans, squash, seeds, nuts and berries.

Men were mainly responsible for hunting animals, particularly deer,

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but also elk, bear and beaver. Men also trapped birds and fished. A

common meal was corn bread and sagamite, a soup that included

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maize and fish or other meats.

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What they made:

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Women made clay pots for cooking and storing food. They wove

baskets, nets, dolls and ceremonial masks using plant fibers. Men

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made canoes out of birch bark for summer and toboggans and

snowshoes for the winter. They used hides of animals, to make

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leather for clothing, quivers, drum covers and containers. They carved 0
wood into tools like arrows, spears, bowls, ceremonial masks and

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mortars and pestles for crushing seeds.

How they governed:

People lived in groups according to their mothers family. One of the

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elder women would be selected as matron, or leader of the

longhouse. Families of two or more longhouses who were related

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were called a clan. Each clan chose male sachems, or chiefs, to sit

on the village council. Tribal councils were chosen from village

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councils and met a few times a year to discuss general matters

important to their people.

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