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The lands of North America were originally occupied by a wide

variety of American Indian peoples, each with their own

language and culture. Ways of life varied from one region to

another, according to the environment – some peoples lived

in farming villages, while others hunted buffalo. Their

worlds were changed forever by the European invasion.

WHAT WAS THE LEAGUE OF FIVE NATIONS?

Five American Indian nations in the northeast – the

Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, and Mohawk –

made a powerful alliance, called the Iroquois

Confederacy. It was founded in about 1570 by a

prophet called Deganawida. The League’s aims

were co-operation and mutual defence.

A council met each year to

discuss their laws.

HOW DID PEOPLE IN THE NORTHWEST LIVE?

The northwest (in what is now both the USA and

Canada) was an area with a large American Indian

population. Many peoples there lived by salmon

fishing or whaling, and by gathering fruits and

berries. They lived in large houses, which were built of

red cedar-wood. Cedar was also used to make hats,

boats, rope, cloth, boxes, and baskets.

1547 Horses

introduced to

North America

by the Spanish

c. 1570 The Iroquois

Confederacy is

founded

1626 Manhattan

Island is sold to

the Dutch

1648 The Iroquois-

Huron War

1722 The Tuscarora

join the Iroquois

Confederacy

1763 Pontiac, chief of

the Ottawa,

unites tribes

against British

troops

WHY DID FARMERS BECOME HUNTERS?

As Europeans invaded the northeast, many American

Indian peoples were forced to retreat westwards. Some

had to give up farming. Instead they became buffalo

hunters on the Great Plains, the grasslands which

make up the prairie regions of the central part of the

modern United States and Canada.

2 BUFFALO HUNTERS

For generations, Plains Indians had hunted buffalo, both on foot and on

horseback. In the 19th century, the great herds were almost completely

destroyed by the arrival of the railroads, which prevented the free

grazing of the herds and brought with it the guns of white hunters.

American Indians

1 EAGLE FEATHERS

Among many hunters

of the Great Plains, such

as the Lakota (or Sioux),

war bonnets indicated rank

and bravery in battle. This

one is made of eagle feathers,

porcupine quills, buckskin,

ermine tails, and horsehair.

1 CANOE BUILDERS

American Indians built all kinds of boats,

using tree trunks, reeds, or buffalo hide. Birch

bark canoes were used on northeastern lakes and rivers.

Resin made

the canoe

waterproof

Birch bark

was stitched

over a light

timber frame

Decorative

bead

headband

AMERICAN INDIANS

FIND OUT MORE. Early Americans 380 • Indian Wars 417 • Western USA 228–229

American

Indians