Native Americans of New York State

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Native Americans of New York State

• By
• Diane Willson
• Jennifer Hurst

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Native Americans

• Before the United States was settled by the
  European explorers it was inhabited by a large
  number of Native American tribes. Indiginous to
  the land we now know as New York State, was a
  powerful and close knit tribe known as the
  Iroquois Confederacy..

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Native Americans
The six aboriginal nations which united to form
the confederacy are The Seneca, Cayuga, Oneida,
Mohawk and Tuscarora. Each is a separate
political and geographical entity with its own
government, land base and membership. In addition
to the Iroquois Nation, several Algonquin tribes
also occupied territory in New York State
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Main Menu
Mohawk
Tuscarora
Oneida
Seneca
Onondaga
Cayuga
Erie
Delaware
Exit
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Mohawk

• Tribe in the Iroquois Confederacy. One of the
  five original tribes
• They occupied the Mohawk River Valley and today
  two settlements are found in Franklin and St.
  Lawrence counties in New York.

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Mohawk
The women farmed and the men fished or hunted,
depending on the season Families lived together
in large bark-covered dwellings called
longhouses. Each community was governed by a
ruling council and a village chief.
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Onieda

• Tribe in the Iroquois Confederacy. One of the
  five original tribes.
• Their territory included the region surrounding
  Lake Oneida, New York and later extended south to
  the Susquehanna River.

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Onondaga

• The territory they occupied centered about
  Onondaga Lake in central New York and extended
  North to Lake Ontario and south to the
  Susquehanna River.
• Their principal village was called the Onondaga
  Castle which served as the capital of the
  Iroquois Confederacy.

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Onondaga

• The Onondaga were the official guardians of the
  council fire of the league and ranked as the
  chief member of the confederacy

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Cayuga

• They originally occupied area on Cayuga Lake, in
  New York, but when the American Revolution broke
  out many members of the tribe took the side of
  the British and moved to Canada.

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Seneca

• The Seneca (Sen'-uh-kuh) was a very interesting
  tribe. Their name means "people of the big hill"
  (Wolfson, 1988).
• They lived in the Northeast in what is now north
  central New York. Their terrltory ranged from the
  Genesee River to Canandaigua Lake. It was the
  largest tribe of the Iroquois Confederacy. The
  Seneca were also among the most feared and
  respected North American tribes.

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Seneca

• Men wore deerskin breechcloths all year round. In
  the winter, they would add moccasins and fur
  capes. Men hunted and fished all year long. When
  needed, they cleared fields or were warriors.
• Women wore the same clothes as men, except
  instead of a breechcloth, they wore short skirts.
  Women provided most of the food for the clan.
  They usually grew corn, beans, and squash ("the
  three sisters"). Women cared for the children,
  too. Because of a matrilineal kinship system,
  they owned all the houses.

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Seneca

• The Seneca lived in longhouses. The longhouses
  were framed with saplings and covered with elm
  bark. Fifty to sixty people would live in each
  house. Many families would share a fire, but each
  family had a separate section with raised
  platforms covered with reed mats or pelts to use
  as seats and or beds. The clothing hung from
  walls or was stored in bark bins and baskets
  (like food). All the houses were arranged around
  one main "Council House" (Wolfson, 1988), a used
  for special events or religious ceremonies. The
  villages were usually fortlfled for protection,
  too.

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Tuscarora

• Tribe in the Iroquois Confederacy originally of
  North Carolina, which had migrated to New York,
  was formally admitted to the confederacy sometime
  between 1715 and 1722. The name of the league
  was then changed from the Five Nations to the Six
  Nations.

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Erie
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Delaware
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Your Assignment

• After viewing Native American slide show choose
  one of the eight tribes of New York and compare
  it to any tribe in the United States.
• In your comparison of these two tribes make sure
  you cover such areas as location, climate, food,
  clothing and government.
• Your project must consist of a six slidesTitle
  slide, introduction, bibliography and three
  slides of content. Please include at least three
  graphics.

Resources
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Internet Sites and Resources

• Native American Indian Resources
  http//indy4.fdl.cc.mn.us/isk/mainmenu.html
• Tuscarora and Six Nation Websites
  http//tuscaroras.com/index.html
• Links to sites with information on specific
  indian tribes http//members.tripod.com/PHOLKON/
  links
• Links to North American Map sites
  html//members. Tripod.com/PHILKON/links7.html
• Native Americans (Mohawk) http//www.twingroves.d
  istrict 96.k12.ilus/Native Americans/Mohawk.html
• Miss Hurst and Miss Willsons slide show
• Books
• Encyclopedia

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Bibliography

• Native American Indian Resources
  http//indy4.fdl.cc.mn.us/isk/mainmenu.html
• Tuscarora and Six Nation Websites
  http//tuscaroras.com/index.html
• Links to sites with information on specific
  indian tribes http//members.tripod.com/PHOLKON/
  links
• Links to North American Map sites
  html//members. Tripod.com/PHILKON/links7.html
• Native Americans (Mohawk) http//www.twingroves.d
  istrict 96.k12.ilus/Native Americans/Mohawk.html