Algonquians in the Eastern Sub-arctic Climate - less harsh than Arctic Hotter and longer summers Sparse forests, coniferous trees

Seasonal Migration Fall and Winter - moved to hunting grounds to track caribou, moose, and deer, snow slows the pace of the animals Spring and Summer- Return to their summer camps, add fishing and gathering berries to their diet.

Clothing and Habitation Wigwam - a circular wooden structure covered with bark Men and women wore loincloths, gown to cover the upper torso, leggings, and moccasins

Division of Labour (Responsibilities) Tasks were rigidly divided Men - hunted, fish, made canoes and snowshoes, traded with other nations, defend territory Women - taking care of children, made clothes, useful objects (baskets)

Iroquoians in the Northeast Climate - moderate Occasional harsh winter, summers are hot with longer growing period

Sedentary Lifestyle Lived primarily from agriculture 65% to 80% of diet came from growing crops Corn, squash, and beans Lack of knowledge of fertilization meant that they moved their villages every years.

Habitation Lived in longhouses made of wood and covered with elm or cedar bark.

Division of Labour (Responsibilities) Men - hunting, fishing, building longhouses, constructing palisades (wooden fence), cleared forest for agriculture, traded with other nations, defended the village Women - childcare, made clothing, prepared food, collected firewood, as well as sowing, caring, and harvesting the fields

Social, Political, and Economical Structures The way the Aboriginal peoples: Lived their lives with each other (Social) Ran their communities (Political) What they goods they traded and what they traded for (economical) Was largely determined by the scarcity (lack of) or abundance (lots of) of natural resources in their surrounding environments.

Nomadic Societies Examples: Inuit and Algonquians To follow game they had to be mobile, so living in small groups of a few families was much easier The importance of the hunt meant that the most skilled and courageous hunter was chosen to be chief, who would ask as a spokesperson for the group The hunt also meant that nomadic societies were patriarchical. The men of the family and group made most of the decisions. They also traced their lineage through the men of the family

Sedentary Societies Example: Iroquois Sedentary life entails (means) a much more complicated social and political structure because when you are not moving constantly, people grow accustom to certain things and arguments about what belongs to who and who should being doing what are more frequent. Their government was hierarchical and consisted of several councils. Certain Iroquoian nations joined together to form “confederacies”. These were meant provide security and promote their common interests. Their decisions were not binding though. Each nation was autonomous (free to make their own decisions)

Iroquois: Matriarchical Society Traced their lineage through the women in the family. After marriage, men went to live in house of their wife’s family. The oldest woman in the clan would be appointed chief. She was responsible for everything affecting community life

Economic Networks From about 1500, Aboriginal nations maintained trade networks with each other. Sedentary peoples traded their agricultural products (corn, beans, tobacco) to nomadic people for their meat, skins, and fur. Copper from west of Lake Superior was very valuable commodity used for making tools and weapons. Shells from the East coast were also very valuable and were used for making necklaces and tools.