Woodland Culture

The Woodland Culture lived in the forests of the east. They depended on their surroundings for their basic needs. Their food, shelter, clothing, weapons, and tools came from the forests around them. The Iroquois, Cherokee, and Mound Builders were important Woodlands tribes.

 

The Iroquios

The Iroquios lived in wigwams and longhouses. Wigwams were made by bending young trees to form the round shape of the home. They placed pieces of tree bark and dried grass over this shape to keep out bad weather. A small hole from the top allowed smoke from the fires to escape.

Longhouses were made by building a frame from young trees. They were then covered with bark. There was a long hallway with rooms on both sides. There were beds covered with deerskin along each wall. Several families would live in the longhouse, but the families were related to each other

The Iroquois used animal skins for their clothing. In the winter, the men wore shirts, leggings, and moccasins made of deerskin. The women wore skirts woven from grass and animal furs. In the summer, the men wore a short piece of deerskin.. The women wore their grass dresses, and the children wore nothing at all.

The Iroquois found their food by hunting, fishing, and gathering berries, fruits, and nuts. They also cleared the land and planted large fields of corn, beans, and squash. The Iroquois used a bow and arrow to hunt. They would sometimes wear the entire skin of a deer over their body to sneak up to the deer. The Iroquois also used traps for small animals. A canoe made from a hallowed out tree was used to fish in the lakes and streams nearby. Nets and traps were also used to catch fish.

 

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