Notes

The Indians of the Northeast (Fig. 11.1) were primarily farmers who also depended
to some degree on hunting and gathering; however, a few groups in the northeastern
portions of the region lived exclusively by hunting and gathering. The primary agricultural crops of the region were the “three sisters”—corn, beans, and squash—plus
sunflowers. Groups living in the northern part of the Northeast and around the Great
Lakes depended less on agriculture and more on hunting, fishing, and gathering.
Northeastern groups spoke languages from three principal language families:
Algonquian, Northern Iroquoian, and Siouan. Groups speaking Algonquian languages
lived along the Atlantic coast and in the Great Lakes region, while most of the groups
speaking Northern Iroquoian languages lived inland and in the northern portion of the
Northeast culture area. A few groups speaking Siouan languages lived in the far western
portion of the Northeast.
Geography and Environment
The Northeast culture area encompasses the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. It lies east of the Mississippi River, south of the Subarctic, and generally
north of the 35th parallel (see Fig. 11.1). The Northeast can be divided into three major
environmental zones: the Coastal Region, the Saint Lawrence–Lowlands Region, and
the Great Lakes–Riverine Region.
The Coastal Region extends along the Atlantic coast from Virginia north to
Newfoundland. A broad alluvial plain dominates the coast south of New York. The
Appalachian Mountains run along the western side of the Coastal Region, beginning
in the northern Southeast culture area and extending north into southern Canada. In
their northern reaches, the Appalachians are heavily eroded and not very rugged. Several
rivers flow from the mountains east to the sea.
The Saint Lawrence–Lowlands Region is dominated by a large, linear depression
running from the Great Lakes northeast to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. Lakes Erie and
Ontario lie to the west, and the Saint Lawrence River flows from the lakes east to the sea.
This is a region of thick forests, many rivers and streams, and numerous lakes.
The Great Lakes–Riverine Region is dominated by the three western Great Lakes
(Superior, Michigan, and Huron) in the north and the Ohio River Valley in the south.
The lake region is fairly flat and includes many rivers, lakes, and islands. Severe weather
is not uncommon on the Great Lakes. The Ohio River traverses much of the Northeast,
flowing west to join the Mississippi River. The central Appalachians, including some
very rugged areas, run along the southern portion of the valley, while the northern
portions are relatively flat and heavily forested.