Early Indians Prehistoric Peoples of Illinois Little Information

Early Indians Prehistoric Peoples of Illinois

Little Information • Two reasons for little information about the earliest Indians – 1. Archeology is mainly focused around the Mediterranean Sea shoreline.

Little Information Cont’d. • 2. Most archeologists are only interested in discovery. They are not concerned w/. sharing what they find. – Kincaid Mounds dig resumes this summer Koster: Americans in Search of their Prehistoric Past Waveland Press (2000)

Some Basic Historical Information • What does B. C. stand for? • What does A. D. stand for?

Some Basic Historical Information Cont’d. • B. C. stands for … – BEFORE CHRIST • A. D. stands for … – No, it isn’t After Death – ANNO DOMINI which stands for… • In the year of our Lord-

Why Not After Death? • If A. D. meant After Death, there would be 33 years unaccounted in the calendar. -

The Earliest People in Illinois • Signs of people in Illinois date back to around 12, 000 year ago. – 10, 000 B. C. -

Paleo-Indian Period • Small Population • Mainly hunters who followed the game – Elk

Paleo-Indian Period • Lived near rivers during the summer – Fish & mussels • During the Fall they would move to higher ground in the forests. – Gathering nuts-

Archaic Period • 10, 000 years ago • Lasted from 8, 000 B. C. to 500 B. C. • The Koster Site provides the best evidence of this period. • People lived in communities for several generations. -

Two Phases of the Woodland Period • The Early Woodland Phase • The Late Woodland Phase – Divided by the Hopewellian Period -

The Woodland Period • 500 B. C. • The first signs of pottery – The first pottery was called Marion Thick

The Woodland Period • The people who were around during this time were called the Black Sands people. – These people mainly lived around the Mississippi & Illinois River plain. -

The Hopewellian Period • Around 200 B. C. • Hopewell Indians buried artifacts w/. their dead leaders. • They were advanced in their trading. – Goods from all over the U. S. were found among their artifacts. • Hunters, gatherers, & fishermen • Not much on growing crops-

The Late Woodland Period • A. D. 400 to A. D. 1, 000 • Smaller population & less trade w/. outside groups-

The Mississippian Period • A. D. 900 to A. D. 1, 400 • The largest town established during this time period was located at Cahokia. – Noted for the large mound formations. – Best known as Cahokia Mounds-

Reading 2 Prehistory of Illinois

The First People Arrive • The first people to live in the Americas came here from Asia. – They crossed over on the frozen Bering Straits. • The first to arrive were the Paleo. Indians. – No Paleo-Indian villages have ever been excavated in Illinois. • Their artifacts have been found. -

The Archaic Indians • Hunted & farmed • Stayed together in one area for generations-

Woodland Period • Pottery • Followed by: – Hopewell – Middle & Late Woodland-

Mississippian Period • Building of mounds • The largest mound is Monks Mound located at Cahokia. – Larger than 14 1/2 football fields – 100 feet high • The Mississippian Culture ended before the Europeans arrived in Illinois. -

The Illiniwek • The Illini Indians had early dealings with the European traders. – Mainly w/. the French • The Illinois Indians were in the Middle Mississippi River Valley to do their trading.

The Illiniwek • Their villages were located in the Northeast • They contracted diseases from their European trading partners. -

Readings 3 & 4 Prehistoric Indians: The Mound Builders & The Koster Site

The Koster Site • Located south Kampsville, Illinois – Near the Illinois River in Calhoun County • One of the largest prehistoric villages ever found – Covers around 25 acres-

Carbon 14 Dating • All living things contain carbon at a certain rate. • After they die they start to lose carbon. • The rate of loss is able to be measured. • The measure is accurate up to around 50, 000 years. -

The Dig at Koster • A dig is the name of an archeological excavation. • The different layers in the earth are called horizons. • Koster is the richest archeological site in North America. • The population was around 10, 000. -

Audrey-North • Audrey-North is another archeological site that is near the Koster Site. -

The Horizons at Koster • There are 14 known horizons at Koster. • Koster was occupied on & off, for around 7, 000 years. – The theory is that a lack of firewood is the reason they left.

The Horizons at Koster • Horizon number 2 dates back to 300 B. C. • Hzn. 12 is 34 feet below the ground • Hzn. 13 & 14 are below the water table-

The Modoc Rock Shelter • Located near the Mississippi River in Randolph County. – Occupied around 11, 000 years ago-

The Hopewell Indians • They were first discovered by a farmer in Ohio. – M. C. Hopewell • The Hopewell Indians originally developed in Illinois & spread into other areas. Ross County

The Hopewell Indians • They utilized Effigy Mounds – Made to look like animals – Actually tombs for hundreds of people-

Reading 5 A Pre-Columbian Urban Center on the Mississippi

Cahokia Mounds • Located just east of St. Louis • There are 120 mounds located at the Cahokia site. -

Monk’s Mound • The largest of the mounds at Cahokia. – Measures 700 x 1, 000 x 100 covering 15 acres – Contains 4 levels-

Patrick Phase • The earliest part of the Cahokia settlement started around A. D. 600 to A. D. 800. – Pottery found but no evidence of mound building-

The Occupation Phase • Around A. D. 900 signs of mound building start to appear. – There also signs of fancy burials during this time period. -

Borrow Pits • Dirt would be dug up using various tools, and placed in baskets. • The baskets full of dirt would then be taken to build up the mounds. • There are 9 known borrow pits around Cahokia. • The largest is 17 acres & 6 feet deep • The pits also served as trash dumps. -

Burial Mounds • There are possible signs of human sacrifice at the burial mounds. – Mainly women • The leaders were buried with many valuable artifacts. -

Fairmount Phase • The first Woodhenge was built during the Fairmount Phase. • The purpose of the Woodhenge was to mark the various seasons. • The Woodhenge was built a total of five times. -

The Moorehead Phase • Moorehead was the last phase in which the Woodhenge was rebuilt. • Cahokia reached its peak during the Moorehead Phase. • Homes were made out of poles & thatch. -

Basic Facts on Cahokia • Named a World Heritage Site by the United Nations in 1982. • 65 of the 120 mounds are within the boundaries of the historical site. • 50 million cubic feet of earth was moved to create the various mounds. • 22 million cubic feet of earth was moved to create Monks Mound-

Facts on Cahokia • The construction of Monks Mound took around 300 years to complete. • The stockade around Monks Mound was two miles long. • Guard towers were placed every 80 feet. • Mound 72 was filled with around 300 bodies that were ceremonially killed-

No-Name Phase • The final phase at Cahokia is called the No-Name Phase. – A. D. 1500 to 1700 • This was around the time when the Europeans were reaching Illinois. • Why did they fade away? – No one really knows!-

Reading 4 & 5 Test

Reading 6 The Mississippian Culture

CORN • Corn was extremely important to the Mississippian culture. • Indians used corn back in 800 B. C. • But it was not used as a crop until A. D. 800. • This was one of the largest & most populous. -

Reading 7 The Illiniwek: Superior Men

The Illini Indians • Made up of the following: Kaskaskias, Tamaroas, Cahokias, Peorias, Michigameas, & the Moingwenas. • Controlled the land between the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. -

Illiniwek • The French called them Illinois or Illini for short. • Their houses were called long homes, made for several families to occupy. -

The Peace Pipe • The peace pipe as we call it was actually called a calumet. • They usually smoked tobacco blended with other herbs. -

Warfare • The Illini Indians were seen as a warring tribe. • Their main enemies were the Sioux in the West, and the Iroquois in the East. -

The Iroquois Invasion • The Iroquois invaded Illinois and eventually were able to drive many of the Illini out of IL. -

The Iroquois Invasion Reading # 8

Fall 1680 • In September, Iroquois were discovered in Illini territory. • Many of the Illini braves were off fighting with the Sioux. – Less than 500 braves were left in the camp.

Tonti • Tonti was a French explorer who worked with Robert La. Salle. • Tonti was staying w/. the Illini when the Iroquois attacked – Stabbed but able to buy time for the Illini • Tonti was eventually found by La. Salle in November on 1680.

Mmm, Good! • The Iroquois captured many of the Illini and tortured and ate them. • Eating the heart would increase ones bravery.

The Kickapoo Story Reading # 9

Story # 1 • The Kickapoo signed a treaty in Edwardsville, IL. that gave away 10 million acres for $30, 000. – $2, 000 in silver a year for 15 years.

The Kickapoo • Their name means he who moves about. • In 1763, the Kickapoo, joined Pontiac against the British.

Pontiac, an Ottawa Indian • Pontiac had sided w/. the French during the French and Indian War. • The French lost in 1763 but Pontiac was not finished fighting. • Pontiac kept the British out of IL. for two years. – July of 1765, the British were able to broker peace w/. Pontiac.

Pontiac

Assassination • In 1769, Pontiac was assassinated by an Illini warrior.

Readings 1 -9 Overview Test Preparation

Readings 10 - 15

The Miami Indians • Started in the Green Bay area & spread to northern IL, MI, & IN. • Wore little in the summer & furs in the winter • Tattoos & worshipped the sun & thunder • Traveled mainly by land & very little by water

Black Partridge • One of the most peaceful Indians in IL • Eventually his young braves attacked some early settlers.

Black Hawk • Pushed out of IL, but later returned causing fear among the settlers. • Started the Black Hawk War

Shabbona • Known as the white man’s friend • Friends w/. both settlers & Indians • Refused to help Black Hawk after the war started • Rock for a chair

Tecumseh • Known as Shooting Star

Ely S. Parker • General U. S. Grant’s military secretary