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Native Americans: Cahokia and Iroquois

Native Americans: Cahokia and Iroquois. US History – Libertyville HS. Cahokia Mound Builders. City of Cahokia, c. 1100 AD (artist’s rendition). Who were the Cahokia?. Mississippian people (group of related tribes along Mississippi River) Mound Builders

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Native Americans: Cahokia and Iroquois

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  1. Native Americans: Cahokia and Iroquois US History – Libertyville HS

  2. Cahokia Mound Builders City of Cahokia, c. 1100 AD (artist’s rendition)

  3. Who were the Cahokia? • Mississippian people (group of related tribes along Mississippi River) • Mound Builders • Subgroup of Miss. tribes that erected earthen mounds as common public works • Cahokian culture was centered on a big city near modern day St. Louis

  4. Cahokia • City and “suburbs” of 30,000 + • Rich art work reflected leisure time • Huge trade network • Tech included calendars, walls

  5. Cahokian Mounds • Purpose of mounds • Burial? Ceremonial? • Living space above flood plain? • Massive building effort requiring mobilization of entire civilization, decades / centuries • French explorers in 1600s discovered mounds, did not build on them (recognized their significance) Monk’s Mound, Cahokia “Monk’s Mound” – 1037 feet long, 790 feet wide base; ten stories tall; over 250,000 square feet

  6. Mississippian Trade Network • Centered on Great Lakes region • North to St. Lawrence • Along Atlantic coast • South to Gulf of Mexico • West to Oklahoma • Larger than Europe & Scandinavia!

  7. Cahokia • Cahokia flourished from 850 to 1500s • Abruptly disappeared; why? • Massive flooding? • Disease?

  8. Iroquois Confederacy • Located in upstate New York and Canada; Empire extended into Ohio Valley • Niagara Falls = center of Iroquois culture, religion • Iroquois were major force in early US history – why?

  9. Iroquois Confederacy Mohawk Logo “Tree of Peace” • Trading empire • Military empire based on warrior culture • Total population = 25,000 • Unified government / people / culture • Union of five tribes • Mohawk • Oneida • Onodagas • Cayugas • Senecas

  10. Iroquois Confederacy • Called selves “Haudenosaunee” = human being (“the people”) • very arrogant people due to their military success • Ohio Valley Indians called them “Irokwek” – rough translation = “snake in the grass” • French translation = Iroquois

  11. Lifestyle of the Iroquois • Village dwellers (100-125 persons / village) • Communal living, based on gender • NOT based on equality • Village made up of extended families – cousins, aunts, etc • Families identified matrilineally (through mother’s family) • Child, son / daughter of mother, etc Iroquois village, c. 1720 (note longhouses, wall)

  12. Lifestyle of the Iroquois • Families lived matrilocally (live where mothers are) • Lived in mother’s family lodge • Longhouse = oval shaped, single entrance; sleep to sides, eat, meet in center • Village, longhouse as woman’s domain • Woods, everything else = male’s domain • Male goes to live in wife’s longhouse • Why is this a more practical way of organizing society? Iroquois longhouse (interior view here)

  13. Lifestyle of the Iroquois • Divorce customs • Raising children • Lack of domestic violence • Child raising • High suicide rate amongst male teens

  14. Iroquois Culture • Concept of time • Patience needed to hunt, farm • No concept of minutes, hours • Cycle of seasons, moon basis of “time” • Time concept circular – no beginning or end vs. European linear time: start, end point • Examples? • European view of Indians = lazy VS.

  15. Iroquois Culture • Matriarchal society • Village leadership = clan mother • Gender division of labor • Men = hunter, warrior, political leader • Women = farmers, village leaders • Naming of individuals • Clan mother named kids • Names given when you do something good, bad, funny • Iroquois adopted European names based on what they liked

  16. Iroquois Politics • Iroquois political system • Iroquois a confederacy of tribes • 50 or so male chiefs got together about 1 / year • 2 issues to consider • Make war? • Everyone have food? • “Circle of Power” • Inner circle of males • Outer circle of clan mothers • Men discuss, women decide

  17. Iroquois Empire • Rivals to Iroquois = Ohio Valley Indians • Iroquois defeat them in every conflict • BUT . . . European involvement changed dynamic Map of Ohio River System, created by George Washington (1754)

  18. Iroquois and the Europeans • European rivalries translated to rivalries between Indian tribes • French allied with Ohio Valley Indians • Wanted trade, not land • French fur trappers needed Indian hunters / guides • French traded guns, alcohol for furs • British allied with Iroquois (why?) • Because French allied with Ohio Valley Indians French trapper and Ohio Indian

  19. Conflict between Indians, Europeans • Why is it that EVERY contact between Europeans, Indians resulted in bloodshed? • Pattern to contacts • Initial cooperation • Dispute over resources based on different perspectives towards those resources • European ultimatum: move or die vs. Indians we’re not moving and we’ll kill you

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