Resources

They used fish to fertilize their corn fields. They tapped maple trees for sap to make sugar.

The Eastern Woodlands Indians developed myriad ways of using natural resources year-round. Materials ranged from wood, vegetable fiber, and animal hides to copper, shells, stones, and bones.

Most of the Eastern Woodlands Indians relied on agriculture, cultivating the “three sisters”—corn, beans, and squash.

Birch was one of the most important resources for the eastern woodlands native Americans. They made houses, baskets, canoes, tools, pots, clothing, and dishes from Birch or Birch bark. The husks of corn and squash they grew were used to make crafts, bedding, shoes, and ceremonies.