Social Studies
Native Americans of the Woodlands
Chapter 2 Lesson 2
Vocabulary:
wigwam- homes built with bent sapling frames
wampum- belt or necklace of small polished beads made from shells and strung
or woven together
longhouse- long buildings made of poles covered with sheets of bark
clan- a group of families who share the same ancestor
confederacy- a union of people who join together for a common purpose
compromise- the settling of a dispute by each side agreeing to give up something
The Environment
The Eastern Woodland Indians depended on these natural resources: forests,
animals, plants, soil, and bodies of water
The Eastern Woodlands extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River
and from Canada to Florida.
Wild plants and berries were eaten or used for medicine.
The soil of the coastal plains and river valleys were ideal for farming.
North and South
The Woodland had different seasons and types of land
The Penobscot lived in the north where it is mountainous and cold. This area is
now Maine.
In the south, where the climate is mild much of the year, the Natchez and others
mostly farmed.
The Natchez were mound builders.
The Eastern Woodlands people in the north adapted to their environment by
moving around to hunt and wearing warm deerskin clothes. The south adapted
by farming the land and wearing light clothes woven from plant fibers.
The Eastern Woodlands used their environment by using the trees to build houses
and canoes, farmed, fished, hunted, and ate wild plants.
The Hodenosaunee
The Hodenosaunee are the Iroquois Indians, and they lived mainly in what is now
New York State.
Hodenosaunee means “people of the longhouse”.
Hodenosaunee women were the leaders of their clans. The clans controlled the
land and owned the longhouses. The women were also selected to be the village
leaders, and approved all important decisions.
The Hodenosaunee culture included longhouses, wampum, Hodenosaunee Trail,
clans, and clan mothers.
Iroquois Confederacy
The Iroquois began to fight over hunting grounds.
Deganawida and Hiawatha convinced the Hodenosaunee to form the Iroquois
Confederacy. The purpose of this confederacy was to maintain peace among the
five Hodenosaunee nations.
Hiawatha was one of history’s great peacemakers. The Iroquois Confederacy was
a fair government system which would settle all arguments among the five
nations.
The Grand Council
Deganawida and Hiawatha developed the Great Law, which is the Constitution of
the Iroquois Nation.
The Great Law was a set of laws and guidelines that helped the 5 nations have
peace.