Aboriginal peoples in North America

Why is it difficult for us to reconstruct Aboriginal History?

Difficulties

The Natives didn’t have written documents.

We have no visual documents about the way of life of Natives in North America before the 15th century.

ArtifactsThe study of artifacts is therefore important.

Arrowheads from archeological digs.

How did the Aboriginal peoples arrive in North America?

Crossing the Bering Strait

The main hypothesis

Approximately 15 000 years ago the Bering Strait (between Asia and North America) would have been frozen.

At this time, the climate would have warmed up enough to create a passage through the glaciers moving down south.

The main hypothesis (continued)

The nomadic peoples of Asia would have followed animal herds further south.

Approximately 12 000 years ago, because the ice had retreated, Native people would have reached the St. Lawrence Valley and the Gaspé Peninsula.

The diversity of the Native Peoples

As time progressed, Natives would settle in certain regions and develop differences.

Why did these differences develop?

Diversity of Native Languages

Over time cultural particularities were transmitted to descendants, from generation to generation.

The main Native linguistic families in Quebec

The Inuit

Inuit

•Nomadic.

•Ground permanently frozen; no vegetation.

•Survived mostly by hunting and fishing.

Inuit (continued)

The Inuit hunted seal, walrus and sometimes beluga whales.

On land they would hunt caribou; skin used for clothing.

Type of dwelling: igloo (in winter), tents made from animal hides (in summer)

Inuit (continued)

In Inuit society, tasks were organized according to gender:

Men would hunt, build igloos, assembled tents, and made sleds, boats and tools.

Women would prepare meals, take care of children and dwellings, hunt small game, fish, make parkas, gather food and skin dead animals.

The Algonquian

Algonquian•Nomadic.

•Dealt with long harsh winters, short cool summers.

•Their diet varied according to seasons.

Algonquian (continued)

In the fall, they would move to their hunting grounds.

During winter, they hunted caribou, moose and deer.

From spring to fall, Algonquians returned to their summer camps where they hunted and practiced fishing and gathering berries.

Men and women wore loincloths and a gown that covered the upper part of the body as well as leggings and moccasins.

Algonquians (continued)

Men hunted, fished, made canoes and snowshoes, traded and fought wars.

Women made clothing and tools, gathered berries and edible plants and gathered firewood.

Type of dwelling: wigwam (which could be rolled and unrolled easily).

The Iroquoian

Iroquoian

•Lived in area of occasional harsh winters but also hot summer.•Climate was warm enough for plentiful vegetation.

Iroquois longhouse

Iroquoian (continued)

They were sedentary; practiced agriculture.

They grew corn, squash and beans. They also hunted, fished and

gathered berries. Iroquoian Natives lived in villages

surrounded by a wooden palisade. Type of dwelling: longhouses (made

of wood and covered with bark)

Iroquoian (continued)

Men focused on hunting, fishing, building, trading and fighting. They also cleared forests for farmland.

Women took care of children, made clothing, prepared food, collected firewood and were responsible for maintaining the fields.