Abenaki Material Culture: Pre-European Contact

Teacher Resources Series
WONDER
BOX #3
ABENAKI MATERIAL CULTURE:
PRE-EUROPEAN CONTACT
Historical Society of Cheshire County |
Education Department- 2014
Historical Society of Cheshire County
Wonder Box #3- Abenaki Material Culture: Pre-European Contact
Combs ................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
BACKGROUND ..........................................................................2
NH LEARNING STANDARDS ....... Error! Bookmark not defined.
INTRODUCTION TO WONDER BOXES .......................................3
PLEASE NOTE............................................................................3
Analyzing Primary Sources ........ Error! Bookmark not defined.
What are they made from?... Error! Bookmark not defined.
what are they used for? ........ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Essential Vocabulary ................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Inside Your Wonder Box ........... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Types of Leather.................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Deer Leather ..................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Moose Leather .................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
One way of making leather ............. Error! Bookmark not
defined.
Furs ....................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Awls and Needles .................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
What was used as thread when sewing ............ Error!
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Bow Drill ................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
How did the Abenaki make fires using a bow drill?
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Projectile Points .................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Pipes ...................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Beads and Pendants .............. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Shell Beads ........................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Stone Beads and Pendants Error! Bookmark not defined.
Antler and Bone Beads...... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Harpoons .............................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Fish Hooks ............................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
How did the Abenaki people fish? .... Error! Bookmark
not defined.
Vessels/Containers ............... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Scrapers ................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Historical Society of Cheshire County
Wonder Box #3- Abenaki Material Culture: Pre-European Contact
ABENAKI CULTURE:
PRE-EUROPEAN CONTACT
BACKGROUND
Indian people have lived in the Monadnock
region for at least 12,500 years.
Paleo Indians first traveled to North America from Asia
about 15,000 years ago. By about 12,500 years ago, they
had settled in New Hampshire where the rivers, fertile
growing land, and herds of caribou (as well as many
other ancient NH animals) were in abundance. They
became known as the Western Abenaki with different
sub- groups located all over NH and VT. Abenaki in the
CT River Valley were the mainly Sokoki and Cowasuck
Abebakis.
For thousands of years, they were primarily hunters,
fishers, and gatherers. As the environment slowly
changed from a very cold environment to the type of
environment we have today, the types of plants and
animals available changed. The Paleo-Indians adapted to
these changes by inventing new tools and a good variety
of tools to use for hunting, cooking and preserving foods.
It wasn’t until about 1,000 year ago that farming was
established and flourished in the Connecticut River
Valley. The main crops-- corn, squash, and beans-- were
often referred to as the “three sisters”.
In search of food and supplies to use throughout all of
the seasons, paleo-Indians moved around often.
Families most likely banded together to form “kinship
groups” of various sizes to help each other seek out
resources for food, tools, and other supplies. Different
kinship groups may have come together during the year
to share fishing, gardening, or other cultural needs.
Today, the Abenaki people believe that this region has
always been part of their home for as long as people
have lived here.
WONDER BOX
#3
The Western Abenaki people are
still here today.
They did not “disappear” from the region.
The artifacts and reproductions that are in
this Wonder Box are only a sample of some
of the many items that people used in
everyday life here in the region.
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Historical Society of Cheshire County
Wonder Box #3- Abenaki Material Culture: Pre-European Contact
INTRODUCTION TO WONDER BOXES
The Historical Society of Cheshire County creates
Wonder Boxes as a multi-sensory learning
experience so that students may touch, observe,
and interpret historical themes.
This Wonder Box invites students to examine both
rare historical artifacts and newly-made
reproductions of historical objects. The items
contained in the box represent the material culture
that people, such as the Abenaki in the Monadnock
region, used before the arrival of Europeans.
Within this Wonder Box are educational resources
for teachers to use with their students including
discussion questions, a description of each artifact
and/or reproduction, and in-class activities.
PLEASE NOTE
We love to encourage hands-on learning. Although
we do ask that the students handle these objects
with care. The artifacts are special in that they are
historical objects that cannot be replaced. The
reproductions are often difficult and very
expensive to replace. By carefully handling the
objects, students are respecting their historical
nature and ensuring their usefulness for future
generations to learn from.

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