Grade 4 Social Studies/ElA Integrated Cuniculum: New York State History and GovernmentUnit l: The Three Worlds: Native Americans, Europeans and Africans Meet in NYS

Lesson 3: Comparing the Iroquois and Algonquin: Political Life and Tribal Relations

Woodland Indians in New YorkThe Iroquois and Algonquin

We know that as far back as the 1300s A.D. there were two major groupsof Native Americans in what is now New York State: the Iroquois and theAlgonquin. The Iroquois lived in the northern and central parts of New Yorkas showr on the map. The Iroquois, named by the Europeans, calledthemselves Haudenosaunee (The People of the Longhouse). The Five IroquoisNations were the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and the Seneca.

The Algonquin (sometimes spelled Algonquian or Algonkian) lived insouthern New York State in what is now Long Island and the Hudson RiverValley. The Algonquin tribes included Mahicans, Shinnecock, and the LenniLenape. Some of these tribes still exist today.

Although both groups of tribes occupied what is now New York State andboth groups belonged to the Eastern Woodland group of Native Americans, theIroquois and the Algonquin, spoke different languages and used differentnafural resources. Because they lived nearer the ocean and salt water, theAlgonquin learned to build bigger boats and to fish for clams, mussels, welks,and other salt water fish. The Algonquin used the shells of the clams and welksto make wampum beads. Wampum was white or purple beads with a holemade through them so they could be strung on a rope. The Iroquois andAlgonquin used wampum in ceremonies, as badges of office worn by tribalofficials, as gifts, and in exchange for furs. The Iroquois had to get wampumfrom the Algonquin, probably by trading something the Algonquin needed.Since the Iroquois did not live near the sea they couldn't get the necessary rawmaterials to make their own wampum. When the Europeans came to NewYork they mistook wampum for money and used it to trade with the tribes.

Grade 4 Integrated Social Studies/English Language Arts CurriculumPutnam/Northem Westchester BOCES

Page 2 Revised 7llll2008

Grade 4 Social Studies/ElA Integrated Curriculum: New York State History and GovernmentUnit l: The Three Worlds: Native Americans, Europeans and Africans Meet in NYS

Lesson 3: Comparing the Iroquois and Algonquin: Political Life and Tribal Relations

The Iroquois depended more on the rivers and fresh water sources likeLake Ontario for food and transportation. Since the water was calmer, theirboats were smaller, and they fished for fresh-water kinds of fish, like perch andtrout.

Before 157A A.D., the Iroquois were constantly fighting amongthemselves. Then everything changed. Two men, Deganawida and Hiawatha,caused the Five Iroquois Nations to unite and enter a time of peace.Deganawida was a prophet, someone who has a vision about how things aregoing to be in the future. He traveled throughout the Iroquois lands and toldpeople about his vision of peace and power. He gained the name, The GreatPeacemaker. One chief he influenced was Hiawatha. Hiawatha was a skilledpolitician and a great speaker. He convinced the Five Nations, who shared acommon language, to actually join together in an Iroquois confederacy. In aconfederacy the leaders come together in a Grand Council to discuss mattersthat are important to all of them, such as war, peace, or trade. The Councilleaders (always men, but chosen by the women) were called sachems. TheIroquois had a total of 50 sachems, and all of them had to agree before adecision could be made.

Together the Five Nations were stronger, but each of the Five Nationsstitl had its own governing body called a village council. Each tribe wasseparated into clans (groups of people who have a common ancestor). The clanwas headed by a clan mother and was named for an animal such as bear, eel, orturtle. These clan mothers were very powerful and made many importantdecisions like how the land would be used and who would use it. They alsoowned the longhouses in which they lived. The women also chose the men tobe the tribal council leaders.

The Algonquin never were unified in a confederacy. Each tribe wasindependent. One tribe of the Lenni Lenape was the Delaware. The Europeansgave that name to the people who lived along the Delaware River. The nameDelaware later came to be applied to almost all Lenape people. In Algonquin

Grade 4 Integrated Social Studies/English Language Arts Curriculum

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Grade 4 Social Studies/ElA Integrated Curriculum: New York State History and GovernmentUnit l: The Three Worlds: Native Americans, Europeans and Africans Meet in NYS

Lesson 3: Comparing the Iroquois and Algonquin: Political Life and Tribal Relations

they called themselves Lenape (1en-NAH-pay) which means something like"The People." They were among the first Indians to come in contact with theEuropeans (Dutch, English, & Swedish) in the early 1600s. The Delaware werecalled the "Grandfather" tribe because they were respected by other tribes aspeacemakers, since they often helped to settle disputes among rival tribes. Theywere also known for their fierceness and determination as waffiors when theyhad to fight.

However, the Iroquois Confederacy had an advantage over other groupswhen it came to war because all of their people were united. In 1722 theConfederacy added yet another group, the Tuscarora, to make it still stronger.Because of its strength, it usually overpowered the Algonquin. The IroquoisConfederacy still exists today.

Grade 4 Integrated Social StudiesiEnglish Language Arts CurriculumPutnamA.{orthem Westchester BOCES

Page 4 Revised 7llll2008