Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands

showing the demarcation between Iroquoian (green) and Algonquian (red) Indian tribes in present-day New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York state|alt=Map of North East United States showing Algonquian tribes in the eastern and southern portions and Iroquoian tribes to the western and northern portions. Around 200 BCE the Hopewell culture began to develop across the Midwest of what is now the United States, with its epicenter in Ohio. The Hopewell culture was defined by its extensive trading system that connected communities throughout the Eastern region, from the Great Lakes to Florida. A sophisticated artwork style developed for its goods, depicting a multitude of animals such as deer, bears, and birds. The Hopewell culture is also noted for its impressive ceremonial sites, which typically contain a burial mound and geometric earthworks. The most notable of these sites is in the Scioto River Valley (from Columbus to Portsmouth, Ohio) and adjacent Paint Creek, centered on Chillicothe, Ohio. The Hopewell culture began to decline from around 400 CE for reasons which remain unclear. Prominent Algonquian tribes included the Abenakis, Mi'kmaq, Penobscot, Pequots, Mohegans, Narragansetts, Pocumtucks, and Wampanoag. The Mi'kmaq, Wolastoqiyik, Passamaquoddy, Abenaki, and Penobscot tribes formed the Wabanaki Confederacy in the seventeenth century. The Confederacy covered roughly most of present-day Maine in the United States, and New Brunswick, mainland Nova Scotia, Cape Breton Island, Prince Edward Island and some of Quebec south of the St. Lawrence River in Canada. The Western Abenaki live on lands in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts of the United States. The five nations of the Iroquois League developed a powerful confederacy about the 15th century that controlled territory throughout present-day New York, into Pennsylvania and around the Great Lakes. The Iroquois confederacy or Haudenosaunee became the most powerful political grouping in the Northeastern woodlands, and still exists today. The confederacy consists of the Mohawk, Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca and Tuscarora tribes. The area that is now the states of New Jersey and Delaware was inhabited by the Lenni-Lenape or Delaware, who were also an Algonquian people. Most Lenape were pushed out of their homeland in the 18th century by expanding European colonies, and now the majority of them live in Oklahoma. ==Culture==

The characteristics of the Northeastern woodlands cultural area include the use of wigwams and longhouses for shelter and of wampum as a means of exchange. Wampum consisted of small beads made from quahog shells. The birchbark canoe was first used by the Algonquin Indians and its use later spread to other tribes and to early French explorers, missionaries and fur traders. The canoes were used for carrying goods, and for hunting, fishing, and warfare, and varied in length from about 4.5 metres (15 feet) to about 30 metres (100 feet) in length for some large war canoes. The main agricultural crops of the region were the Three Sisters: winter squash, maize (corn), and climbing beans (usually tepary beans or common beans). Originating in Mesoamerica, these three crops were carried northward over centuries to many parts of North America. The three crops were normally planted together using a technique known as companion planting on flat-topped mounds of soil. The three crops were planted in this way as each benefits from the proximity of the others. The tall maize plants provide a structure for the beans to climb, while the beans provide nitrogen to the soil that benefits the other plants. Meanwhile, the squash spreads along the ground, blocking the sunlight to prevent weeds from growing and retaining moisture in the soil. Prior to contact Native groups in the Northeast generally lived in villages of a few hundred people, living close to their crops. Generally men did the planting and harvesting, while women processed the crops. However, some settlements could be much bigger, such as Hochelaga (modern-day Montreal), which had a population of several thousand people, and Cahokia, which may have housed 20,000 residents between 1050 and 1150 CE. For many tribes, the fundamental social group was a clan, which was often named after an animal such as turtle, bear, wolf or hawk. The totem animal concerned was considered sacred and had a special relationship with the members of the clan. The spiritual beliefs of the Algonquians center around the concept of Manitou (), which is the spiritual and fundamental life force that is omnipresent. Manitou also manifest itself as the Great Spirit or Gitche Manitou, who is the creator and giver of all life. The Haudenosaunee equivalent of Manitou is orenda. ==List of peoples==

• Anishinaabeg (Anishinabe, Neshnabé, Nishnaabe) (see also Subarctic, Plains) • Algonquin, Quebec, Ontario • Nipissing, • Attawandaron (Neutral), Ontario • Illinois Confederacy (Illiniwek), Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri; • Canarsie (Canarsee), formerly Long Island New York • Esopus, formerly New York, • Minisink, formerly New York • Waoranecks • Wappinger (Wecquaesgeek, Nochpeem), formerly New York • Mascouten, formerly Michigan • Ponkapoag, formerly Massachusetts • Meherrin, Virginia, North Carolina • Menominee, Wisconsin • Montaukett (Montauk people), • Pamplico, North Carolina • Patuxent, Maryland • Tunxis, Connecticut • Androscoggin, formerly Androscoggin Valley in Maine and New Hampshire; later Saint-François-du-Lac, Quebec • Kennebec (Caniba), Maine • Pequawket (Pigwacket), Maine and New Hampshire • Western Abenaki: Quebec, Massachusetts, historically New Hampshire and Vermont • Pennacook, Massachusetts, New Hampshire • Cowasuck, upper Connecticut River Valley, in Vermont • Missiquoi, Missisquoi Valley, from Lake Champlain to the headwaters, in Vermont, and Massachusetts • Mi'kmaq (Micmac), New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Maine • Passamaquoddy, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec, and Maine • Penobscot, Maine • Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet), Maine, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Quebec • Wampanoag, Massachusetts • Nauset, Massachusetts • Patuxet, Massachusetts • Pokanoket, Massachusetts, Rhode Island • Wangunk, Mattabeset, Connecticut • Wenro, New York • Wicocomico, Maryland, Virginia • Wyachtonok, Connecticut, New York • Wyandot (Huron), Ontario south of Georgian Bay, now Oklahoma, Kansas, Michigan, and Wendake, Quebec == First Nations in Canada ==

== United States federally recognized tribes ==

• Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma • Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians of the Bad River Reservation, Wisconsin • Bay Mills Indian Community, Michigan • Cayuga Nation of New York • Chickahominy people, Virginia • Chippewa-Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy’s Reservation, Montana • Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Oklahoma • Delaware Nation, Oklahoma • Delaware Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma • Eastern Chickahominy, Virginia • Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma • Forest County Potawatomi Community, Wisconsin • Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Michigan • Hannahville Indian Community, Michigan • Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Wisconsin • Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians of Maine • Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, also considered a Great Plains tribe • Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, also considered a Great Plains tribe • Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan • Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas • Kickapoo Tribe of Indians of the Kickapoo Reservation in Kansas • Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma • Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin • Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of the Lac du Flambeau Reservation of Wisconsin • Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Michigan • Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Michigan • Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan • Mashantucket Pequot Tribe of Connecticut • Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, Massachusetts • Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan • Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin • Miami Tribe of Oklahoma • Mi'kmaq Nation, Maine • Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, MinnesotaSix component reservations: • Bois Forte Band (Nett Lake) • Fond du Lac Band, Minnesota, Wisconsin • Grand Portage Band • Leech Lake Band • Mille Lacs Band • White Earth Band • Mohegan Indian Tribe of Connecticut • Monacan, Virginia • Nansemond, Virginia • Narragansett Indian Tribe of Rhode Island • Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, Michigan • Oneida Nation of New York • Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin • Onondaga Nation of New York • Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma • Pamunkey, Virginia • Passamaquoddy Tribe of Maine • Penobscot Tribe of Maine • Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma • Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan, Indiana • Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation, Kansas • Prairie Island Indian Community in the State of Minnesota • Rappahannock, Virginia • Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin • Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, Minnesota • Sac and Fox Nation, Oklahoma • Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska • Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan • St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin • Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, New York • Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Michigan • Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma • Seneca Nation of New York • Shawnee Tribe, Oklahoma • Shinnecock Nation, New York • Sokaogon Chippewa Community, Wisconsin • Stockbridge Munsee Community, Wisconsin • Tonawanda Band of Seneca Indians of New York • Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians of North Dakota, Montana, North Dakota • Tuscarora Nation of New York • Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) of Massachusetts • Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska ==See also==