Download Peoples of the Woodland - All Saints CHS Arts Department

Peoples of the Woodland
Original territory, prior to European “contact”

Forests of Southern Ontario

St. Lawrence Lowlands

Coastal Atlantic region

Southern Canadain Shield

Appalachian mountain range

U.S – southwest to Illinois and east to North Carolina
*see original territory on map
There were 2 subcultures Migratory / nomadic and Agricultural.
In the Eastern Woodland, cultures were mostly migratory:

They lived in forests, mountainous or rocky terrain, lakes and rivers. They
traveled in search of food (deer, moose, beaver, fish, wild fruit and berries,
roots, plants and wild rice). Because the winters in their region were long, they
ate meat for most of the year.
They also had well-developed methods of transportation – canoes,
snowshoes and toboggans.
Their homes were wigwams or tipis – easy to dismantle so they could take them
with them, following the migration of large animals.
In the Southern Woodland the people were able to be agricultural:

They also hunted for wild game, but were able to farm as well because of a
more mild climate and fertile soil. There was a short growing season, but
people were able to grow much of their own food.
The Three Sisters Crops: Corn, beans and squash (and tobacco as well).
Planted together in the same mound so that the corn stalks supported the
climbing beans and the leaves of the squash discouraged weeds.
Because they were more sedentary, they were able to live in semi-permanent
communities, living there for up to 10 years (until the soil’s nutrients were
gone). Their homes were rectangular longhouses where 10 families could live.
They had highly-developed political systems, were skilled pottery makers and
made all their clothing and footwear from animal skins.