Mr. Leslie’s Class

The time before people left written records is known as prehistory

A scientist who studies artifacts to learn about the past is called an archaeologist.

Archaeologists have used objects from Abbott Farm to piece together what life was like in New Jersey thousands of years ago.

Heritage is the history, beliefs, and way of life that a group of people shares.

A sakima was a wise person who settled arguments for the Lenape people.

A wigwam was a small Lenape house that had a round shape.

The Ice Age was a time when Earth’s climate was much colder than it is now.

Beringia was a strip of land that once connected Asia with what is today Alaska.

Today a body of water known as the Bering Strait separates Alaska from Asia.

The Raritan River formed a dividing line between the Munsee and Unami people.

How did the environment of NJ change after the Ice Age ended? After the Ice Age ended, the climate

grew warmer. Many large Ice Age animals died. New plants and animals appeared. Lakes that had been formed by glaciers began to dry up. The Great Swamp was formed at this time. Early people who lived in New Jersey began to farm the land. The often stayed in one place because of this, rather than moving from place to place.

Imagine that you are a Lenape child. What might you do during a typical summer day? I get up in the morning and put on my

breechcloth. Then my father and I go out to fish. We use tools that we have made to catch fish for our meal in the late afternoon. Mother and my sister cook the fish. They have also made corn mush for us to eat. Later, I have a running contest with some friends. That night, I listen to Grandfather tell a story about trapping a beaver. Then I make my bed on a bench in the longhouse. My whole family sleeps in there, along with the families of my aunt and uncle.