Kennedy

Kennedy

====The Iroquois people used tools to help them in their daily lives. One tool that was important to the Iroquois was the canoe. It was made out of a hollowed-out log and used to travel from village to village or to a hunting ground. One other tool, the knife, was a sharpened piece of rock tied on to a minute carved piece of wood that was used to cut bark and could also be used as a weapon to scalp enemies. Another tool used by the Iroquois was the bone awl. It could be used to poke holes and designs in moist pottery if carved properly. Last of all, the snowshoe was a wooden frame tied together to spread the body weight out and keep people on top of the snow. The snow shoes helped the Iroquois travel with ease and speed throughout the winter. It took time to make tools, but it was worth it.====

====Weapons were some of the most important items to the Iroquois nation. The spear’s main job was for catching fish. The Iroquois main use for the bow and arrow was for catching bison ( buffalo), deer, bear, and maybe even moose! The other reason that the bow and arrow was important to the Iroquois was because it was one of many weapons the Iroquois used in battle. Another valuable weapon was the war club. The war club was made of wood and stone. It had a carved handle and its width was that of a 2x4. At the top, there was a thick wooden ball that could seriously injure enemies. Weapons were critical for hunting and protection.==== ====In and around the longhouse, household items were put to use in many different ways. For instance, a woven basket served as a storage or carrying case. The cradleboard was carved from wood and held the youngsters. Mothers then attached the cradleboard to their backs to carry the infant. Iroquois traveled for many different reasons. If traveling through water they depended on the canoe, which was a hollowed-out tree. The mortar and pestle were used for crushing corn into cornmeal. Life was arduous for the Iroquois, but these artifacts made it a little easier.==== ====The Iroquois enjoyed playing games to improve their strength and agility. A game played in the winter by the Iroquois was called snowsnake. They started out by digging a path or grove in the snow and sprinkling it with water which made a smooth surface. Then they made a long wooden stick and slid it across the path dug in the snow. The person who slid the snowsnake the farthest won.==== ====A game often played in the summer was called darts. The game started out with two teams. Each player within the two teams had six darts or spears. Each team had a hoop rolled in front of them. The players then had to try to throw the darts though the hoop. The team with the best accuracy won. Iroquois games were very important in their every day lives because they learned skills that helped them in their adult lives.==== ====The Iroquois played many sports and games, but lacrosse was their favorite. They did not have much equipment. They had a stick with a net at one end, a ball made out of wood or animal skin, a goal post at each end on the field and no other protective equipment. The purpose of the game was to pass the ball around and try to score goals. Whoever scored the most goals won. The game was played for fun, but that's not the only reason. They also played to improve their skills including aim, speed and strength. Lacrosse was played by boys and men mainly. The games sometimes went on for two or three days. One game even ended up in a war. Thanks to the Iroquois, lacrosse is still played today by people of all ages.==== ====The Iroquois children had fun playing for entertainment in their spare time. The girls spent most of their time playing with corn husk dolls. These dolls had no face because the Iroquois felt if they did, a spirit would be harmed. The young girls would also play house to strengthen their mothering skills. The boys had fun playing many sports and games. While playing, the Iroquois children learned skills that would help them throughout life.====

====The Iroquois ate a variety of foods from the forest. They had berries, such as wild cherries, strawberries, currents and huckleberries. They also collected many types of nuts. For instance, chestnuts, beechnuts, hickory nuts, butternuts, acorns and black walnuts were eaten by the Iroquois. Also, maple sap was one of the few sweeteners that the Indians had. The sap was collected from maple trees in the forest The maple sap was used for making maple sugar to put in breads. They also boiled the sap and made a syrup and even made a type of snow cone candy treat for the children. A very important part of the forest was the plants used for medicine. The medicines were used to cure sicknesses that could cause deaths. Foods from the forest were an important part of the Iroquois diet.==== ==== ==== ====Planted crops were very important to the Iroquois diet. Women grew many crops. The most important crops were the Three Sisters; corn, beans and squash. The corn was used in many different ways. They had cornmeal, corncake, soups and puddings. The Iroquois ate many different kinds of beans like kidney and lima beans. They also ate sunflower seeds. The Iroquois enjoyed eating the crops they planted.====

====The Iroquois ate many different kinds of meat. The different kinds of meat were deer, bear, rabbit, squirrel and raccoons. They also ate many kinds of fowl. Fowl includes several types of large bird used for food such as wild ducks, turkeys and passenger pigeons. Men always did the hunting, but the women cooked the meat for them and smoked the meat to save it. The Indians were grateful for all the meat they caught.==== ====Women's clothing provided their bodies with protection from the elements of nature. The women took a lot of time to make clothing for their families. Some clothes the females wore in the summer were tunics made from deerskins, and below their waists, they wore wrap-around skirts and short leggings. They often wore corn husk moccasins to keep their feet cool, but protected in the summertime. In the winter, cloaks and robes were made from deer or buffalo skins to keep the Iroquois warm. They also wore longer leggings, skirts and tunics during the winter. Winter moccasins were made from deerskin. Iroquois decorated their clothing with symbols representing their clan and important objects found in nature.==== ====Clothing provided both protection and decoration in the Iroquois culture. Men wore hats that stretched over their heads with a column in the middle with feathers attached so that it spun in the wind. They also dressed in seasonal clothing. In the summer, they wore woven corn husk moccasins to keep their feet cool. They also wore breech cloths. In the winter, men wore thick buckskin leggings and a long frilled shirt that ran down to their knees. They also wore something like trousers to keep their leggings up and keep their legs warm. Also, in the winter they covered themselves with a large, warm, furry blankets that covered them in a dome of warmth. In many seasons they wore deerskin moccasins. The amazing pictures of Iroquois clothing floating in your head are just a piece of Iroquois history.==== ** Boiled Corn Bread: **The Iroquois Indians made a wonderful boiled corn bread. They made flour by pounding corn into corn flour. To make bread, they mixed water with corn flour. Sometimes cooked beans were added, or berries or nuts. The bread was kneaded and formed into small loaves. The loaves were dropped into boiling water and cooked until the bread floated. Boiled corn bread was served both hot and cold. They also used the same bread mix to bake bread by putting it on clay tablets in the fire. They used sunflower oil to fry bread. ** Recipe: ** If you want to try making Iroquois corn bread, mix flour with water and a little salt. Knead it. Turn it out on a floured board. Keep kneading until you can handle the bread without it sticking to your fingers. Then either boil it or fry it. If you want it to puff up, add a little baking soda. maple syrup candy 1 cup maple sugar 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup walnut halves (or any nut) and/or 1 cup dried apricots or prunes > Directions: Place maple syrup and water in a small, deep saucepan and heat slowly, without stirring, to the softball stage (238 F. on a candy thermometer.) > Remove from the heat. > Drop the walnuts into the hot syrup. Turn gently with a spoon so they are evenly coated. > Remove to aluminum foil with a slotted spoon. > Repeat with the apricots. If the syrup begins to harden, heat just long enough to melt it again. Cool nuts and fruit to room temperature and serve. honey drink 1 quart water 2/3 cup honey