The First Occupants: The Inuit, Algonquians, Iroquoians

Inuit in the Arctic & Northern Quebec – Circa 15,000   Natural Environment: had to survive harsh climate of the Arctic; frozen subsoil; very little vegetation Way of Life: Nomadic peoples (no permanent residence, moved according to environment), able to adapt to cold, while maximizing the resources available in this hostile environment

Subsistence: It was ensured by hunting & fishing their diet consisted of sea mammals (seal and walrus) using kayaks (wooden structures covered in seal skin) and umiak (large craft used to transport families; still used in 20th Century), the Inuit hunted beluga and, less often, other whale. On land, they hunted caribou clothing: made of caribou hides; parkas protected them from cold lived in igloos: measured up to 5 meters in diameter and two meters in height. Seal oil lamps were used to light and heat the dwelling. Several families could live in a single Igloo. lived in tents: tent made from hides in summer Modern Umiak

How to build an Igloo - A Boy Among Polar Bears – BBC, Documentary*** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-x5QOSqP3E How long do you think it takes to build an igloo? 3-4 hours A bigger group of people could do it in a hour. Assignment: Complete class distribution while watching documentary

Inuit Society Daily tasks assigned according to gender and age: Men: the hunters built igloos made sleds, boats and tools Women: took care of children skinned and prepared meals maintained dwellings made parkas from skins hunted small game or fished near camp gathered algae, eggs, seafood Children: Initiation to daily chores started at very early age Training to do chores of utmost importance in order for them to survive in future Age of 8: boys hunted with fathers; girls worked with mothers Married off by their families around adult age. Three girls wearing parkas

Young couples wanted to give birth to ideally at least one girl and one boy. Why?

Inuit Hunting Tools- refer to p. 17 of textbook Draw the two hunting tools that the Inuit used & describe what they used them for in the space below. Ulu A harpoon head

Protection from the Sun The Inuit made themselves glasses from pieces of wood, leather or bone to limit the amount of light that would enter their eyes.

Algonquians in the Eastern Subarctic – Circa 15,000   Climate of Eastern Subarctic: less harsh than arctic hotter and longer summers sparse forests- coniferous trees farming was difficult in this region because it was covered with rock and forests. Nomadic: moved around seasonally which ensured their survival, especially those living north of the great lakes Diet: Varied according to seasons fall: men went on hunting grounds to track caribou, moose, deer winter: hunters during the winter, since it slowed down the pace of animals, mainly moose spring to summer: returned to summer camps, where they complemented by fishing and gathering berries Clothing: men and women wore loincloths and gowns that covered their upper bodies, as well as leggings and moccasins Dwelling: they lived in Wigwams which suited nomadic lifestyle! wigwam: a tent composed of circular wooden structure covered with bark; bark was sewn together and could be rolled and then unrolled for carrying Algonquians in the Eastern Subarctic – Circa 15,000

Algonquian Territory The Algonquians occupied a vast territory in North America stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Rocky Mountains. The great majority of the territory of Quebec today was Algonquian Territory. Most of this territory was forested but some was mountainous. The territories inhabited by the Algonquian people were cold, but those who lived south enjoyed fairly warm summers.

Separation of tasks: men: - hunting and fishing made canoes and snowshoes responsible for trading with other nations and defending their village; went to war when necessary women: cared for & educated children took care of the camp (e.g. made wigwams, collected fire wood) made clothing and utilitarian objects (baskets, in particular, were widespread among Algonquians & were beautifully decorated using porcupine quills and dyed with bright colors) gathered berries, edible plants and firewood responsible for agriculture: they sowed the fields, and harvested crops Canoes were usually made of wood covered with bark (usually birch)

A bit about Division of Labour Today… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3B_Wmoh1gQg Back to the 1960s… A Leave it to Beaver Clip too… We’ve come a long way!!!

Aboriginal Nations Refer to page 16 of your textbook & next slide to view map of the nations that inhabited Quebec circa 1500.

In the space to the right explain how Pierre Biard, a Jesuit, describes the movement of the Maliseet & the Mi’kmaq nations. The passage is dated to 1611.

Iroquoians in the Northeast Climate of the St. Lawrence Valley and Great Lakes Region: more moderate winters are occasionally harsh summers are hot and vegetation growing period is longer Way of life: sedentary; since they lived primarily from agricultural used bark canoes to travel Agriculture: 65%- 80% of their diet comes from growing different crops, esp. those of squash, corn (which was ground to make flour), and beans. unfamiliar with fertilization technique so soil depleted; consequently, they were forced to move from villages to cultivate new land every 10- 30 yrs. Subsistence: other than agriculture, food came from hunting, gathering, and fishing. Dwelling: Creation of Villages Longhouse: made of wood, covered with elm or cedar bark. Grouped in villages, surrounded by a palisade; villages hold several hundred people Life in a Long House: Reconstruction of the interior of a longhouse, at the Cartier-Brébeuf National Historic Site © Parks Canada / Cartier-Brébeuf National Historic 

The territory of the Iroquoian people was called Iroquoia The territory of the Iroquoian people was called Iroquoia. The majority of its inhabitants lived in the Great Lakes region, near Lakes Ontario, Erie and Huron. Only one nation settled in the St. Lawrence Valley: the St. Lawrence Iroquoians. They lived where Montréal and Québec City are located today. This can be seen on the map.

Separation of tasks: Men: Women: responsible for hunting and fishing building long houses and constructing palisades forest clearing in preparation for agriculture responsible for trading with other nations defended village Women: child care made clothing prepared food collected firewood responsible for agriculture; they sowed, took care of fields and harvested.   Men at war

Baskets of bark and basket weaving, baskets for harvesting

Slash and Burn Technique, used to clear the land

Deer Hunting among Huron-Wendat Describe how the Huron-Wendat trapped deer in the space below by referring to diagram on page 22 of textbook.

In pairs, answer the following questions by referring to documents 22 & 23 on page. 23 of your textbook: 1. Who planted crops and sowed the Iroquoian land in the early 18th Century? 2. How did the Iroquoians’ technique of ploughing the land differ from that of Europeans at the time? 3. How did Iroquoian women sough the land?

The Iroquoians of the 16th Century mastered the art of pottery The Iroquoians of the 16th Century mastered the art of pottery. Clay pots were used to transport goods and water, and to store food. Pots were decorated and associated with certain regions. Meherrins , Iroquians, lived in several towns, along the present-day North Carolina/ Virginia border. 1000 AD Clay Pot

The disappearance of Iroquoians from the St. Lawrence Valley Did you know? In the 16th Century, when the first Europeans started to explore NA, sedentary Iroquoian populations occupied the St. Lawrence Valley. When the French returned in the 17th Century, the Iroquoians of the valley disappeared. What happened??? Archaeology: Due to conflict with enemy nations (the Huron), they were dispersed and then assimilated. The French and Iroquois Wars (also called the Iroquois Wars or the Beaver Wars) were an intermittent series of conflicts fought in the late 17th century

Here are 2 maps of the Iroquoian Mohawk Territory close to Montreal: Kahnawake Indian Reservation: Photos of Kahnawake Mohawk Territory, Québec Province, 2002 by Joseph Normand Grinnell https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGfn7J_jCOY A First Nations reserve of the traditionally Iroquoian-speaking Mohawk nation on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada, across from Montreal. Kahnawake's territory totals an area of 48.05 square kilometres. Its resident population numbers about 8,000 (wikipaedia.com)

Life on Kahnawake: Marry or get out??? Preservation of culture today & a divided community: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/mohawks-seek-to-remove-non-natives-from-kahnawake-1.2736555 What are your thoughts?

The Social, political and economic structures The way of life of Aboriginal peoples was strongly influenced by resources in natural environment Environment-related constraints profoundly impacted social, political and economic structures!!! Nomadic Societies: Due to the environment they occupied, the Inuit in the Arctic and Algonquians in the Eastern Subarctic were nomadic: ability to travel= necessary= each nomadic group consists of only a few families to make it easier to relocate A leader, a Chief, was chosen for courage, hunting and influence over group; he acted as the spokesperson of group. Patrilinear societies, meaning that lineage was passed from father to children. A families belongings were transmitted by father as well. Social & political structure had to be simple in order to meet the needs of nomadic societies When you hear the word nomadic, think of this old tune: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnPL5OXSBNE They move! Get around! Relocate!  

A Case Study: The Algonquians Social and Political Structure Nuclear family: basis of society; lived in one wigwam Hunting group: consists of 10- 20 people, from an extended family, makes up hunting groups in winter. Tribe/ Band: group of 100- 200 persons made up of several families form a tribe. Nation: All tribes with a common language and culture formed a nation. Nation ensures defense and expansion of hunting groups.

Nation: tribes with common culture and language Ensures defense & expansion of hunting groups Tribe/ Band: 100- 200 people from several families/ hunting groups Hunting Group: 10- 20 people, extended family members Nuclear Family

Confederations/ Leagues Sedentary Societies: Confederations/ Leagues Sedentary way of life = stationary = more complicated social and political system Hierarchical government: i. consists of several councils ii. certain Iroquoian nations joined forces to form leagues called “Confederations”. The purpose of leagues was to ensure security, the defense of nations, and to promote common interests. iii. each nation in a league, however, was free to make its own decisions!!! Nations Village Councils Iroquoian societies were matrilinear! What does matrilinear mean?

The Iroquoians Social and Political Structure Extended family: several families in same longhouse; generally united by their belonging to same maternal line and same clan; men when married went to live in wives homes.  Political organization: women played important role in life of longhouses; oldest woman appointed chief who represents the clan. Clan: families that considered themselves to be descendants of the same maternal ancestor. The Hurons- Wendat, for example, had 8 clans, all represented by a totem animal.   Political Organization: in a village, the members of a clan were generally represented by two chiefs, appointed by eldest women: a civil chief (everything that affects clan) and a warrior chief (military) Village: consisted of several longhouses, belonging to a few clans. Political Organization: The Village council included the clan chiefs, their assistants, the elders, and speakers. There were also three other councils: the elders’ council, women’s council and the warrior council. Nation: consists of several villages from same linguistic and cultural group. Political Organization: The nation council consisted of leaders of all clans in the nation. League: consists of several nations Political Organization: council league consists of several chiefs from the council of each nation.

Leagues: made up of several nations They are run by a Council Leagues that consists of the chiefs of all nations. Nations: made up of several villages Members of several villages from same cultural and linguistic group; Each nation has a council that consists of all leaders of clans in a nation Village: made up of several clans Villages had clan chiefs & three councils: the elders’ council, women’s council and the warrior council. Clan: made up of several extended families Clans shared family lineage; had a Warrior Chief and a Civil Chief Extended Family several families in same longhouse

Iroquoian women had a special influence over the political organization Refer to p. 27 of your textbook to answer the following question: According to Joseph-Francois Lafitau, 1724, how did they influence the political system?

Economic Networks Circa 1500, Aboriginal nations maintained commercial trading networks among themselves. - trade relations were significant since resources varied according to environment & from one cultural area to another - Sedentary peoples traded pottery and agricultural products such as corn, beans and tobacco with nomadic peoples in exchange for meat, skins and furs. - Copper was traded & considered a highly prized possession as it was used to make tools and weapons. It came from west of Lake Superior & was brought to the Hurons-Wendat nations, and even to the Algonquins and the Innus. - Shells were also highly sought after to make necklaces and tools. They came from the Eastern Atlantic Coast and were traded as far as St. Lawrence Valley.  

The purpose of trade? To satisfy needs, rather than to make a profit or accumulate wealth. It was seen as a basis for alliances. Two nations that were trading partners also became political allies. Trading united nations, fostering diplomatic relations, and helped to maintain peace.

System of Alliances: Over a period of decades, certain political alliances emerged, while others disappeared. For example, the Huron-Wendat Confederacy & the Petun Confederacy were in conflict in the 16th century but united in the early 17th century by an alliance of Algonquian nations. This Algonquian alliance caused conflict with the Iroquois Confederacy.

Wampum Belt Native Nations in eastern NA symbolically agreed to an alliance by exchanging wampum belts made of shells arranged in a pattern. Every part of the wampum design had a meaning that was intended to be remembered by its receiver. Wampum belts were also presented in support of a chief’s proposal.

Objects of rivalry & war Tensions arose when hunting territories were contested, when a nation tried to monopolize the trade of a particular good, or when a toll was demanded for trades being transited over territories. So wars were a result of disputes over hunting territories and trade.

A Prisoner’s Fate Prisoners were held captive during times of war. Many were brought to the territory of their captors, then tortured or killed. Fun fact: Among the Iroquoians, prisoners were sometimes adopted by a family to take on the role and social position of a deceased family member!!! The Iroquoians referred to some wars as “mourning wars”! Why??? Because they would go to war to take captives to replace the dead!!!

Proof that you were a brave warrior was defined by how you acted when tortured.