History 41 Topic 1

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History 41 Topic 1 The land and the first
peoples
North Eastern Native American people pre-European
contact
Algonquians Beothuk, Mikmaq, Montagnais, Cree,
Algonquin
Inuit
Iroquoians Iroquois, Huron, Mohawk, Oneida,
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History 41 Topic 1 The land and the first
peoples
Grey areas are territory inhabited by natives
belonging to the Algonquian language family,
green areas represent territory inhabited by
Iroquoian language family.
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History 41 Topic 1 The land and the first
peoples
Algonquians Patriarchal society (social and
political organization controlled by men)

• North
• Nomadic hunter gatherers who live on coastal
  areas in the summer, and follow big game inland
  for the winter.
• Villages are temporary and can be packed up and
  moved when needed
• Men make weapons, hunt and fish
• Woman prepare meals, gather wild foods like
  berries, care for children, prepare hides
• Since these people move frequently, they are
  masters at building canoes, toboggans, and
  snowshoes.
• Homes are NOT teepees, but wigwams which are
  rounded, covered with bark in the summer and furs
  in the winter. There is very little room or
  privacy.

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History 41 Topic 1 The land and the first
peoples
Algonquians Patriarchal society (social and
political organization controlled by men)

• South
• Sedentary farmers who plant crops and farm the
  land. The climate must be warm to allow this and
  the land must be fertile
• Raise maize, beans, squash, sunflowers, tobacco
• Villages are permanent
• Men clear fields, prepare building materials,
  build longhouses, fish, make wooden tools
• Woman care for crops, raise children, prepare
  food, make baskets and pottery

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Algonquian family
Miqmak canoe
Maliseet snowshoes
Algonquian wigwam
Miqmak coat
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History 41 Topic 1 The land and the first
peoples
Iroquoians Matriarchal society (social and
political organization controlled by women)

• Sedentary farmers who plant crops and farm the
  land. The climate must be warm to allow this and
  the land must be fertile
• Raise maize, beans, squash, sunflowers, tobacco
• Villages are permanent
• Men clear fields, prepare building materials,
  build longhouses, fish, make wooden tools
• Woman care for crops, raise children, prepare
  food, make baskets and pottery
• People live in longhouses which are long (20-30 m
  long )wooden permanent structures where several
  families live, work and play.

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Iroquoian farming
Huron longhouse
Iroquoian warriors
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History 41 Topic 1 The land and the first
peoples
Inuit

• North
• Nomadic hunter gatherers who live in frigid harsh
  winter conditions, and whose main diet consists
  of fish, seals, whale, caribou and bear
• People live in small family groups in temporary
  areas
• Men make weapons, hunt and fish
• Woman prepare meals, gather wild foods like
  berries, care for children, prepare hides and
  make clothes
• Since these people move frequently, they are
  masters at building canoes, toboggans, and
  snowshoes.
• Homes in south are wigwams which are rounded,
  covered with bark in the summer and furs in the
  winter. Homes in the north are igloos.

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History 41 Topic 1 The land and the first
peoples
Social life of native peoples

• Natives governed themselves in small groups which
  dictated what was acceptable behavior. In order
  to survive all members had to participate or the
  whole community could starve. Teamwork and
  generosity are important.
• Marriage was important. A man had to prove
  himself to be a good provider and hard worker
  before a family would consider allowing him to
  marry their daughter. In Algonquian society, the
  male selected a female, in Iroquoian society the
  woman selected a man.
• Couples usually only had 1 partner, with the
  exception of a few Algonquian chiefs, but this
  was not common. Divorce was also allowed, but
  again was not common.
• Algonquian tribes families joined together in
  bands, Iroquoian joined in clans. Marriage
  between members of the same clan was frowned
  upon.
• Because of the sedentary nature of Iroquioan
  society, population was more dense, which lead to
  a need for more formal government, and also
  increased competition for the same resources.
  Competition for resources leads to disputes and
  sometimes war.

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History 41 Topic 1 The land and the first
peoples
Spiritual beliefs of native people

• Even within language families there can be
  different mythology regarding spirits and
  religion.
• Native people were polytheistic, meaning they
  believed in many gods/spirits.
• All native spiritual beliefs where strongly
  connected to nature, the power of nature to hurt
  humans as well as nurture good vs. evil.
• Natural resources were revered, and all living
  things used by native peoples were respected.
• When animals were hunted, nothing was wasted.
  Hides are used for clothing and blankets, bones
  for tools and weapons.

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