Chapter 2: The First People 15,000 B.C.-1800 A.D.
Origins of Native Peoples Theories of how Native Americans arrived in Pennsylvania walked from Asia over a land bridge into Alaska land bridge is buried deep under the Bering Sea today crossed the ocean in boats
Indian Legends Believe ancestors have always lived here People came from the sky and center of the earth Legends are oral traditions passed from generation to generation
Archaeologists and Artifacts We know the existence of earlier people through ruins and artifacts Ruins are the remains of something; Houses or other structures that have been destroyed or disintegrated naturally Artifacts are objects tools, weapons, pots, or jewelry
Archaeologists are scientists who study ruins and artifacts to learn about past people From the charred bones at American Indian campsites we know they ate animals From burial sites we know of their rituals These are examples of primary sources of information
believe the earliest people did not have a written language because no books, letters, or diaries have been found We have rock art, but do not know the translation
Prehistoric or Historic? prehistoric refers to groups of people that lived before written records We know of them by only their artifacts Historic are of those we do have written records Explorers first wrote about the people they met and then later native people wrote about themselves
The Paleo-Indian Period Paleo-Indians means ancient Indians the earliest living people in North America Cold climate with huge glaciers
Near the Bering Strait, the water level fell and uncovered a land bridge between Siberia and Alaska Later, the glaciers melted covering the land bridge Believed natives went to the Atlantic Coast and South America
Paleo-Indians hunted mastodons, woolly mammoths, and saber-toothed tigers Gathered and ate berries, nuts, leaves, and roots of plants
Mastodon or Woolly Mammoth?
No remains of prehistoric humans have been found in Pennsylvania, but we have found their weapons and tools Hunted with wooden spears with stone points Made tools for skinning animal hides Women used bone needles to sew animal hides together with animal tendons called sinew
Meadowcroft Rock Shelter (Western PA) http://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/meadowcroft.aspx One of the oldest archaeological sites in North America located near Avella, PA Site dated back 12,000 years ago Radiocarbon dating (Carbon 14) was used to determine the age of organic artifacts corn, squash, and bones of elk, deer, and birds
The Archaic-Indian Period
The Archaic-Indian Period As time passed, the climate became warmer and life changed Giant mammoths and mastodons became extinct Caribou and other animals migrated further north As ice melted, new lakes and rivers were formed
Some Indians followed animals North, others stayed and adapted Lived in small groups and were nomadic Searched for animals and wild plants Ate fish and shellfish
Gradually, trees, plants, and animals became more abundant Used traps, spears, and nets to get deer, elk, raccoons, and turkey Ate anything that moved, including insects Gathered nuts, seeds, and berries
Archaic-Indians did not farm did not have domesticated animals except dogs Moved where the grazing animals roamed Starvation was constant for the Archaic-Indians Summer drought and long cold winters meant less nuts, seeds, and berries
The Woodland Indian Period
The Woodland Indian People The Algonquians (Woodland Indians) lived in eastern forests of North America Started to use bows and arrows more than spears Continued to move in search of food Lived in caves and shelters made of saplings (young trees) Saplings were covered with grass or animal skins
Late Woodland Period Farming improved their lifestyle Began planting gardens to supplement their hunting, fishing, and gathering Crops need tending so they settled in that area People,now with more food, lived healthier and longer Families became larger and built sturdier shelters
Woodland Indians Appearance Men had long hair but removed facial hair Warriors shaved all hair except a scalp lock Women had long hair and red dye on their faces Both men and women tattooed their faces and bodies
Trading took place between different areas and involved goods, ideas, and beliefs
Woodland Indian Location The first known people in Pennsylvania were the Allegewi (Allegheny) Lived peacefully along the Ohio River Defeated by the Iroquois and fled south out of PA
Other Woodland Indians settled along 3 major river valleys in Pennsylvania Delaware River- Leni Lenape Susquehanna River- Susquehannocks Monongahela River- Monongahela The Iroquois settled along PA s northern border
Tribes and Confederations
The Susquehannocks Settled along the southern part of the Susquehanna River lived in Longhouses: 60-80 long barrel-shaped structures 6-12 families lived in each Longhouse Family lived around a fire pit with holes in the roof above Separated by a wall of wood or animal skins Villages surrounded by log stockades
Manor Township takes its name from the Manor of Conestoga, which was originally surveyed and reserved for William Penn in 1719. There is evidence that William Penn visited this area prior to 1690. At this time the area was Native American territory. The Susquehannocks were the largest tribe in the Susquenhanna Valley with the center of their community in the Turkey Hill area. The Quaker government had surveyors lay off a large area bounded by the Little Conestoga Creek near Millersville, to the Susquehanna River, and to the Conestoga Creek. This area was called the Manor of Conestoga, and some historians believe it was set aside as a domain in which the Indians could live and hunt. The Manor contained 16,000 acres east of the Susquehanna River. For the most part the land was flat and well watered, and the soil was rich and fertile.
Had a strong political and military tradition Once powerful and controlled their own land Traded with Europeans along the Delaware River and Chesapeake Bay Eventually, driven out of the region
The Monongahela Settled where the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers converge to create the Ohio River Houses were shaped like beehives in a circle Large storage pits were connected for winter Grew corn, squash, and beans, along with hunting and fishing Villages surrounded by log fences
Disappeared before written about Archeologists believe maybe war or disease The Shawnee and Delaware Indians moved in
The Delaware (Lenape) www.penntreatymuseum.org Called themselves the Leni Lenape ( Real People ) Land area covered DE, NJ, and PA The name Delaware was given by new Europeans
Lived according to the seasons of the year Seasons to hunt and fish Seasons to plant and harvest Each local village had 6 or 7 wigwams
Delaware clothing for warm weather MEN- deerskin beechcloth and moccasins When in the brush, added leggings WOMEN- long deerskin skirt, leggings, moccasins BOTH- turkey feathered capes, fur-robes for shoulders in winter
Colonial times- cloth pants, skirts, shirts, and dresses with moccasins
Delaware Clans all spoke the same language 3 clans- Turtle Clan, Wolf Clan, and Turkey Clan Each clan had an animal totem, or special sign Hung over door outside of wigwam for protection
Delaware Family Life Strong emphasis on extended family aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents Lenape culture was matrilineal- means lineage was traced through the mother s family Great honor was placed on the oldest woman handled important family decisions and disputes children took their mother s name
Division of Labor Men hunted and fished and protected the village cut down trees and cleared field for planting dug out canoes from large trees Women did village work skinned animals and made clothes gathered food and did most of the farming
Made Pottery and baskets rounded pots were held up by 3 rocks over a fire archaeologists found one pot large enough for 2 deer
Political Power Women selected men for tribal council Women were better judges of character Major council decisions made with women elders Women could replace men on the council Iroquois and Lenape women controlled divorce Women made the decision Placed husband s belongings outside of wigwam
Wampum- belt made of tiny purple and white shells strung together Recorded history by designs depicting a story, peace treaty, or a declaration of war Valuable and used as money Council meeting speakers would hold belt as they talked and other tribal members would view this as truth
Conoy Another group of Woodland Indians forced from Maryland by white settlers settled by Susquehanna River near Lancaster
Nanticoke Woodland Indians forced from Maryland by white settlers settled near present town of Nanticoke
Shawnee First- settled on Ohio River, near Pittsburgh After- settled along Susquehanna River Moved often; eventually forced out of PA by the Iroquois
The Iroquois Confederacy Territory extended from upstate New York to the Great Lakes and into Pennsylvania
Five Tribes made up the Confederacy Mohawk (People of the Flint) Oneida (People of the Stone) Onondaga (People of the Mountain Cayuga (People of the Landing) Seneca (Great Hill People)
Lived and governed themselves as separate tribes In matters of trade and warfare, the five tribes banded together Dominated their region; very powerful and feared group Controlled trade by bargaining with European nations
Iroquois lived in Longhouses Several families lived in a Longhouse Village was surrounded by a palisade- a large fence of log poles laced with smaller branches protected village from enemies and wild animals
Depended on hunting, fishing, and farming Shared housing and food No one in the village starved if the group had food
Cornplanter (Kaintwakon) Great Seneca chief (1750-?) Mother- Seneca; Father- Dutch trader from NY Fought with British against Americans during the Revolutionary War
After the war, he made peace with the Americans Convinced others not to make war In return, government gave him land along PA-NY border Allegheny River became known as Cornplanter s Grant
Started schools and brought in missionaries encouraged people to grow crops and raise cattle Seneca s became dependent on European goods Alcohol Many Seneca wanted to return to old way of life
Cornplanter also became disappointed Before his death, he told the Seneca to abandon white man s ways Told Seneca to be proud of their heritage and Indian ways
In 1964, the U.S. government took the land from the Seneca to build the Kinzua Dam and Reservoir
Consequences of European Contact European trade changed Native American life Natives only hunted what the village needed Europeans developed a growing fur trade Europeans wanted beaver hats, mine coats, and deerskin jackets As demand rose, competition between tribes increased
Europeans traded glass beads, mirrors, knives, axes, and, cloth for furs and skins but the most coveted item by the Natives were
GUNS
Guns represented power and prestige but also brought problems
Iroquois emerged victorious over the weaker Susquehannock Iroquois forced the Delaware to sign land treaties with the Europeans Many times, the Delaware were robbed of valuable land These treaties led to the demise of the Delaware
Native American and Colonial Relationship