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Sometime in the 1600s, the Mound Builders stopped living in Ohio. For much of these years, no one was building permanent homes in the area. Beginning about 1740, Native Americans again came to settle.
Six different groups settled Ohio. They were the Ottawa, Wyandot, Mingo, Delaware, Shawnee, and Miami. Each came from another region of North America. Each had its own leaders and culture, including languages, holidays, and beliefs.
The Native Americans met Europeans at trading posts. The Native Americans brought furs, often loaded in canoes. For the furs they could receive copper kettles, guns, tools, blankets, or cloth.
The Native Americans lived in villages. Life centered around the family, and everyone worked. On a typical day, men hunted animals in the forest while women gathered food or grounded corn into meal.
The village council tried to choose leaders who were brave and wise. People followed the rules because they did not want to lose the respect of their neighbors, friends, and family.
Most Native Americans believe that water, wind, and other things in nature all had spirits or souls. During festivals, villagers thanked the spirits. They wore masks and special clothes as they danced.
Meeting Europeans brought many changes, many for the worse. The Europeans carried diseases such as measles and smallpox. These were new in North America, and many Native Americans died.
Europeans also brought guns, which Native Americans used to hunt animals and to kill one another. Europeans also wanted to own the land, an idea that the Native Americans did not understand. They believed that no one owned the land. In coming years, the two groups would struggle and fight bitterly. |
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