32
Our Pennsylvania Story
L E S S ON 1 4
The First Americans in Pennsylvania
Get ToKnowMe
1. Indians
2. native
3. tribes
4. villages
5.wigwams
6. longhouse
People lived in Pennsylvania long before settlers came to this land. These peoplewere
called
Indians
. Today, we call them
Native
Americans because they lived here first. These
people lived in the forests. The new settlers called themEasternWoodland Indians. There
weremany
tribes
of Indians in Pennsylvania. A tribe is one big family that lives in the
same place. The Indians lived in
villages
in the forest.
Some Indians lived in
wigwams
and others lived in
longhouses
. These houses were
made from thewood of young trees andwere tied together at the top. These trees were
then coveredwith tree bark and river grass tomakewalls.
Everyone in an Indian village hadwork to do. Themen built the houses. Theymade
tools from stones, shells, andwood. Theymade canoes from trees. Themen also hunted
and fished for food.
Thewomen planted gardens. They raised corn, beans, and squash. They gathered
grasses, seeds, and berries to eat. They gatheredwood for fires, too. Thewomen cleaned
the fish andmeat that themen brought home. Theymade dishes and cooking pots from
clay. Thewomen cooked themeals.
Thewomen also cleaned animal skins. Theymade the skins ready towear. Theymade
shirts, leggings, skirts, andmoccasins from deer skin. Theymade robes and blankets
from furs.
Indian children did not go to school. Yet the children hadmany lessons to learn. The
men taught the young boys to become good hunters. Thewomen taught the girls how to
care for their home.
These illustrations show a
wigwam and a longhousewhere
Native Americans lived.
