Who were the Eastern Woodlands Indians?

Woodlands Indians lived in the eastern part of North America. They were called Woodlands Indians because they lived in the forest.

A lot of the woodlands Indians lived in wigwams. Some of them lived in long houses.

Two important Woodlands tribes were the Iroquois and the Cherokee. Other tribes were the Creek, Chippewa, Ottawa, Mohawk, Oneida, Seneca, and Shawnee.

They made clothing out of animal pelts.

They got their food by hunting. Sometimes they had a hard time finding food. They would have to boil their moccasins (shoes) for soup, or chew on their clothing.

One of the crops they grew was corn.

They hunted a lot. They hunted deer, rabbits, and bears.

They used wampum as money. Wampum was belts and necklaces.

One of the most famous Woodlands Indians tribes was the Cherokee. They had a written language. Sequoyah invented it. They were forced to move from their land. When they moved to their new homes a lot of them died. This journey was called the Trail of Tears.

Picture by Aaron

The woodlands Indians made lots of tools. They used these tools to clear trees from the land. Then they could plant gardens.

They built large villages, and they did not move a lot. Their villages were usually set up like big half-circles. All of the wigwams would be arranged like a horseshoe around a main area, like main streets.

A lot of the Indians didn't even live in the villages. They might have lived on little farms just outside the village, and they would raise food to help feed the whole tribe.

When people died, they were buried in little pits or in large mounds of dirt. Family would put things in the grave with the dead people. They believed the dead people would need these things in their next lives. Some of the things were tools and shells.

Most of the villages were near lakes or streams so that they could get water easily.

Think about it:  Imagine you are a Native American who lived long ago. You have been told that you have to move from your home to a new piece of land. What things will you take with you? How will you travel? How long will your journey take? What if you get sick along the way?

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