Geography Of The Iroquois Region
Topography
The Iroquois were the original inhabitants of what is now New York State and Eastern Canada, they spread from the the Finger lakes to the Mohawk and Genesee Rivers.
The Iroquois were the defintion of forest dwellers, the practically lived off the trees that surrounded them that often reached thirty feet around. The forests around them contained many types of coniferous and indigenous trees, some of the main and most used types consisted of birth, hemlock, pine, maple, elm, ash, and beach. The trees were the most used resource by the Iroquois. every part of the tree was useful to them. The Iroquois used the trees for boats to transport them up and down to river, and also to fish. They used the wood for shelter, fire, and tools or everyday life objects they needed, the Iroquois even used the sap from trees as a sugar substitute.The trees also handed the Iroquois plentiful access to animals such as deer, beaver, racoon, possum which gave the Iroquois all the meats they needed and also the ability to be able to hunt in the winter.
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Other than easy access to wood and other resouces trees allowed the Iroquois also had access to many resources through the rivers throughout their region. These rivers were extremely helpful and supplied many essential resources such as transportation by boat (which the trees supplied) and plentiful amounts of food such as fish like trout, sturgeon, and white fish. These rivers gave the Iroquois easy access to water year round and because of that the Iroquois probably did not have to travel at all, they could build a sturdy village and could live in for years, or even forever. Another Pro for the iroquois is that they did not have to be extremely carfeul with the amount of water, wood, or food they used. The did not have to ration it out for the cold months because they always had access to huge amounts of wood and water that were availible to them throughout the year.
Vegetation
![Picture](/uploads/2/3/7/8/23786397/1381097162.jpg)
Vegetation for the Iroquois was a very essential thing. The land around them was extremely fertile, they were able to grow and farm lots of differant types of fruits, vegtables, and grains for food and even trade.
The discovery of agriculture was huge for the iroquois tribes. After the discovery their villages grew and often doubled in size. Agriculture also bought a feeling of home to the Iroquois. Soon after the discover tribes begain to stay in one place and not migrate when vegetation ran out.
It wasnt untill around 500ce when the Iroquois learned to farm corn, this was a huge imrprovement because before that the grains lived off of was wild grasses and rices.
Other than corn the Iroquois were also extremely skilled farmers. they were able to farm many fruits and vegatbles including :
Grapes
Cherries
Beans
Sunflowers
Squash
Other than just fruits and vegtables to eat the Iroquois also were huge tabacco farmers, tabacco was a important thing to the Iroquius. Tabacco was a strong trade item and they also enjoyed the use of it aswell.
Having all these types of vegatbles and fruits around the Iroquois shows that they may have been a extremely strong tribe. They had access to both meat and vegatation, this shows that they could be very healthy because essientially they could have access to every food group and that is somthing that many other tribes around the world did not have.
The discovery of agriculture was huge for the iroquois tribes. After the discovery their villages grew and often doubled in size. Agriculture also bought a feeling of home to the Iroquois. Soon after the discover tribes begain to stay in one place and not migrate when vegetation ran out.
It wasnt untill around 500ce when the Iroquois learned to farm corn, this was a huge imrprovement because before that the grains lived off of was wild grasses and rices.
Other than corn the Iroquois were also extremely skilled farmers. they were able to farm many fruits and vegatbles including :
Grapes
Cherries
Beans
Sunflowers
Squash
Other than just fruits and vegtables to eat the Iroquois also were huge tabacco farmers, tabacco was a important thing to the Iroquius. Tabacco was a strong trade item and they also enjoyed the use of it aswell.
Having all these types of vegatbles and fruits around the Iroquois shows that they may have been a extremely strong tribe. They had access to both meat and vegatation, this shows that they could be very healthy because essientially they could have access to every food group and that is somthing that many other tribes around the world did not have.
Climate
The climate the Iroquois lived in was a moderate to easy
climate to survive. Winters: Their winters consisted of cool months with light snow, lots of rain, and dreary days. During the winters the Iroquois were often able to hunt and live like they did throughout the whole year. If in dire need though the Iroquoians were able to eat and survive off the emergency food they had gathered and saved. During the winters the Iroquois survived by wearing the pelts of the bears, racoons, and other animals they hunted during the summer and fall months. Spring: The spring climate around the Iroquois was cool to warm; they had sunny dry days mixed with humid, wet, and rainy months. The spring may have been a useful season for the Iroquois, they were able to finally recuperate from the winter months, start hunting for new meat, and begin the farming season by ploughing the fields. Summer: Summer for the Iroquois was long, dry, and hot. They were able to start getting ready for winter once again. The Iroquois fished, hunted, gathered, and built everything they would need for the coming fall and winter. They would start drying and saving their goods and be well into harvesting and farming. This was also the main time for the Iroquois to migrate if they were in need to, which is only if they had run out of resources. The Iroquois were not a tribe to migrate often, because of the plentiful amounts of resources they could mostly just stay in one spot for many years, Fall: Fall was warm and dry, then cold and disgusting, full of dark days, downpours, and hard work. The fall was an important season. What’s left to be hunted was hunted, and what last minute gathering and saving was done. The Iroquois tended to the last of their crops and got ready for the coming winter. The fall for the Iroquois was just a warning for the worse weather to come. |
Resources
![Picture](/uploads/2/3/7/8/23786397/4645179.jpg)
The resources of the Iroquois mostly consisted of the
forest. The forest supplied probably close to 75% of the every day items the
Iroquois the Iroquois needed, food, clothing, shelter, and materials were just
a few of the things they got from the forest. The forest supplied ALL the tools
they needed for hunting, and also things like knifes and shovels for cooking
and farming.
The forests supplied the Iroquois with food by housing
all the different types of animals to hunt as well as thousands of different
types of edible berries, plants, herbs, and even roots. The forest also supplied
the Iroquois a sugar base from the sap of trees, which the Iroquois used as an
ingredient in lots of their foods. The Iroquois were supplied clothing by the
forest from the animals within it but also they used leaves and grasses to weave
skirts to wear. The forest supplied shelter in obvious ways; they used the wood
of huge trees to build the well-known longhouses. Finally, the forest also
supplied many everyday tools that the Iroquois made from wood or rock.
The Forests were not the only resource the Iroquois had
access to, throughout the region they lived in there were well over 100
different rives that supplied them with water and fish. The Iroquois
specifically located their villages within 100m away from a river so they could
have year-round, easy, access to a river.
Here is a Video of a canoe tour down a river that the Iroquois used in a Iroquois style canoe
forest. The forest supplied probably close to 75% of the every day items the
Iroquois the Iroquois needed, food, clothing, shelter, and materials were just
a few of the things they got from the forest. The forest supplied ALL the tools
they needed for hunting, and also things like knifes and shovels for cooking
and farming.
The forests supplied the Iroquois with food by housing
all the different types of animals to hunt as well as thousands of different
types of edible berries, plants, herbs, and even roots. The forest also supplied
the Iroquois a sugar base from the sap of trees, which the Iroquois used as an
ingredient in lots of their foods. The Iroquois were supplied clothing by the
forest from the animals within it but also they used leaves and grasses to weave
skirts to wear. The forest supplied shelter in obvious ways; they used the wood
of huge trees to build the well-known longhouses. Finally, the forest also
supplied many everyday tools that the Iroquois made from wood or rock.
The Forests were not the only resource the Iroquois had
access to, throughout the region they lived in there were well over 100
different rives that supplied them with water and fish. The Iroquois
specifically located their villages within 100m away from a river so they could
have year-round, easy, access to a river.
Here is a Video of a canoe tour down a river that the Iroquois used in a Iroquois style canoe
Conclusion
In conclusion, I believe that in many ways geography shaped how the
Iroquoians lived and survived through hundreds of years. Having the forests
around them gave the Iroquois an easy way to find housing and many other
essentials needed to survive. These forests gave the Iroquois a great advantage
compared to many other tribes in different regions. The Iroquois were blessed
to live in a moderate climate in which they could hunt and work year round. The
forests rubbed off on Iroquoian culture as well, they loved the forest for what
it gave them. Another way geography rubbed off on the way Iroquois lived was
that they learned to cope with wet seasons. The specifically placed their
villages WITHIN 100 metres of a river, this was extremely smart because than
if there just so happened to be a mud slide their village would most likely be
safe. An inference I have about the Iroquois is that even though they were a
well nourished tribe from the ability to farm and plentiful amounts to hunt
that they may have been quite sickly and died at a young age, I believe this
because they used a extensive amount of tobacco that they may not have known
then that is very bad for you. I also infer that they were a quite modern tribe
in their day because they had enough resources that they did not have to spend
all day everyday hunting and/or gathering, they were most likely able to let
certain people just work to invent new tools that made life easier for them.
Overall the Iroquois were a strong and independent tribe with very complex
ideas, they had access to plentiful amounts and that made them very strong,
they were smart, organized, and overall a modern time tribes for the times they
lived in, so modern that in fact there is still a population of Iroquoian
people living in the same place they inhabited thousands of years
ago, this just shows how hard work, complex minds, great geograghy, and well thought out ideas can lead a ancient tribe to flourish throught generations.
Iroquoians lived and survived through hundreds of years. Having the forests
around them gave the Iroquois an easy way to find housing and many other
essentials needed to survive. These forests gave the Iroquois a great advantage
compared to many other tribes in different regions. The Iroquois were blessed
to live in a moderate climate in which they could hunt and work year round. The
forests rubbed off on Iroquoian culture as well, they loved the forest for what
it gave them. Another way geography rubbed off on the way Iroquois lived was
that they learned to cope with wet seasons. The specifically placed their
villages WITHIN 100 metres of a river, this was extremely smart because than
if there just so happened to be a mud slide their village would most likely be
safe. An inference I have about the Iroquois is that even though they were a
well nourished tribe from the ability to farm and plentiful amounts to hunt
that they may have been quite sickly and died at a young age, I believe this
because they used a extensive amount of tobacco that they may not have known
then that is very bad for you. I also infer that they were a quite modern tribe
in their day because they had enough resources that they did not have to spend
all day everyday hunting and/or gathering, they were most likely able to let
certain people just work to invent new tools that made life easier for them.
Overall the Iroquois were a strong and independent tribe with very complex
ideas, they had access to plentiful amounts and that made them very strong,
they were smart, organized, and overall a modern time tribes for the times they
lived in, so modern that in fact there is still a population of Iroquoian
people living in the same place they inhabited thousands of years
ago, this just shows how hard work, complex minds, great geograghy, and well thought out ideas can lead a ancient tribe to flourish throught generations.
Bibliography
Bing.videos.com
bigorrin.org
mason.gmu.edu
watertown.k12.ma.us
hrstaff.ednet.ns.ca
studyzone.org
nativesofcanada.tripod.com
youtube.com
bojobonifaco.com
Textbook - Crossroads
www.hongkiat.com
www.antranik.org
bigorrin.org
mason.gmu.edu
watertown.k12.ma.us
hrstaff.ednet.ns.ca
studyzone.org
nativesofcanada.tripod.com
youtube.com
bojobonifaco.com
Textbook - Crossroads
www.hongkiat.com
www.antranik.org