1. Iroquois
By: Mr. Alcazaren

2. Area Tribe Lived
Made up of Mohawk, Seneca, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Tuscarora
Northeastern portion of U.S.
Lived in present-day New York alongside the St. Lawrence River in the woodlands
Faced all four seasons with lots of rainfall and snow
The land supported lots of plants, fish, and animals for them to grow, hunt, and gather
Iroquois Longhouse

3. Adaptations to Land
Were mostly farmers who grew corn, squash, and beans (Three Sisters)
Lived in longhouses and moved their homes around every 20 years, or so, after the farmland was exhausted

4. Examples of Customs
The Iroquois Confederacy or political agreement between five nations helped lay the foundation for the U.S. Constitution
Six different languages spoken: Mohawk, Seneca, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Tuscarora
Iroquois men were in charge of war, hunting, and trading
Iroquois women were in charge of farming, property, and the family
Used snowshoes and sleds to travel in the winter
Were on of the first to play lacrosse

5. Interactions with Whites/Europeans
Dutch began selling them weapons in 1640
Iroquois sided with the British during the French and Indian War – which increased the nation’s dependence on England for weapons
Iroquois sided with British during the American Revolution
Ben Franklin greatly admired the Iroquois people
Four “Mohawk Kings” who traveled to England

6. Role of Tribe in the Present
Now use the longhouse mostly for ceremonial/meeting purposes primarily
Classes are offered to preserve the group’s language – mostly taught by elders
They have several reservations in NYS and Canada – land set aside for them by the U.S. government

7. Extra Credit – Journal Entry
October 27, 1784 We decided to side with the British in the French and Indian War. When the British won we were initially excited because we felt that we earned the right to stay on our land. However, the British did little to prevent their colonists from taking our land and we soon came to depend on the British for weapons. We had to give up more and more land. When the American Revolution broke out in 1776, we again sided with the British hoping that we could prove our worth. When the British lost and America earned its independence we lost even more land. What are we going to do?

8. Bibliography
Ms. Foley will be teaching us Tuesday on how to do this!