Groups of Ohioans Interact
Prehistory, the period of time before written records.
Paleo-Indians were the first humans to settle in what is now
Ohio. They arrived between 15,000 and 12,000 years ago.
They were hunters and gatherers. They followed the
movement of animals that they hunted for food.
Archaic Indians were the second group of prehistoric Indians
who arrived in Ohio 10,000 years ago. They were also
hunter and gatherers. They made baskets, pottery and
copper objects.
Mound Builders (3rd group of prehistoric Indians) came some
time after the Archaic Indians. They were also known as the
Woodland Indians. The Adena and Hopewell Indians were
Woodland Indians.
The Adena were the first to farm. They grew sunflowers,
squash and other plants. They were master craftsmen who
made jewelry and objects out of copper. They still hunted.
This group was the first to make permanent homes and
settlements. This was because they learned to farm and did
not have to move to hunt as much.
The Hopewell appeared around 2,000 years ago. They lived
in Ohio and Mississippi Valleys. They planted squash and
other plants. They still hunted. This group traveled great
distances to barter. Bartering means trading goods with
other people without using money. They also build villages.
The Hopewell were the first to grow corn (maize).
These groups were called mound-builders because they built
mounds to bury their dead. They also used the mounds for
ceremonies such as marriage.
Fort Ancient Indians grew corn, created great mounds of
wood. They built the Great Serpent Mound. It was not used
for burial purposes. They used bows and arrows for hunting
and warfare (the first group to use bows and arrows).
Historic Indians
Shawnee lived in southern Ohio. They (Shawnee, Delaware,
Ottawa, Miami) spoke Algonquin language and shared
similar traditions and lifestyles. They lived in wigwams
(houses). Bending tree branches into dome-shaped frames
to make wigwams. Then the branches were covered with the
bark of birch trees. They built canoes too.
The Delaware (also known as the Lenape) lived in eastern
Ohio. Both Delaware and Shawnee planted corn, beans,
squash, and tobacco. They made clothing from deerskin.
They continued to hunt and plant their own food. This group
built longhouses that were used for public meetings.
The Ottawa lived in longhouses that were up to 100 feet
long. They were traders with other Indian tribes and the
European explorers. They traded furs and food in exchange
for European guns and cooking utensils.
The Miami lived in villages in wigwams surrounded by their
fields. They hunted, fished and farmed. They traded with
other tribes in the Great Lakes region.
There were 2 groups of historic Indians in Ohio that spoke
Iroquoian languages: the Ohio Seneca and Wyandot’s (also
known as the Huron’s). They lived in longhouses, traveled
along rivers and streams, fished in lakes. They grew corn
squash and beans. They engaged in fur trade.
Cooperation Among Ohio’s Indian Tribes
Cooperation was very important for everyday life. They
cooperated with each other when hunting, building
settlements, and growing crops. They built mounds together
and traded with each other.
Conflict Among Ohio’s Indian Tribes
Sometimes tribes fought with each other usually over
hunting rights. Wooden fences made of sharpened sticks
surrounded some settlements.
Migrating Settlers and Immigrants
European explorers and settlers came to North America
after Columbus’ voyage in 1492.
Rene Robert de la Salle was the first European explorer to
come to Ohio. He arrived in 1669. La Salle claimed the
region for France.
French and Indian War
French and British colonists both became interested in Ohio
by the 1750’s. The French built their forts along the Great
Lakes including the Ohio region. They were fur trappers and
traded with the Indians to obtain furs to sell in Europe.
The British colonies were interested in moving into this
region.
Both the French and British wanted the same area of land
and this conflict was one reason for the start of the French
and Indian War (1755-1763). This war is also known as the
Seven Years War. The Native Americans joined with the
French to fight against the British.
Pontiac’s Rebellion
After the French and Indian war the British settlers and the
Indians in the territory got along well at first. The Indians
welcomed trade with the colonists. They really wanted the
European guns, gunpowder, rum and cloth.
The British settlers wanted to farm the land. They wanted to
own the land. This created conflict with the Indians.
In 1762, Chief Pontiac organized an uprising with other
warriors against the British colonists. This rebellion was put
down and peace restored.
**Note: Indians did not believe that someone could own land.
It was there for everyone to use.
The British and other settlers did think someone could own
land. This was a major conflict and reason for many battles.
Proclamation Line of 1763
The British eventually won the French and Indian War. The
territory between Lake Erie and the Ohio River now came
under British rule.
However, in 1763 King George III issued a proclamation that
forbade the colonists from settling west of the Appalachian
Mountains.
The purpose of this “Proclamation Line” was to protect the
Indians and prevent future conflict. This proclamation
contributed to the bad feelings between the colonists and the
British government.
Eventually the colonists rebelled against Great Britain (the
conflict will be the American Revolution).
Settlers from other parts of the US and Europe began to
pour into Ohio in the years after the American Revolution
(1775-1783)
They built the town of Marietta, which became the first
capital of the Ohio Territory. Ohio was covered with thick
forests. More settlers had new conflicts with the Indians.
Battle of Fallen Timbers
In 1792, President George Washington sent General
Anthony Wayne and a group of soldiers to Ohio to protect
the settlers. In 1794, General Wayne defeated the Indians in
the Battle of Fallen Timbers.
Several Indian tribes agreed to give up their claims to Ohio
in the Treaty of Greenville. This treaty allowed the Indians to
live only in the northwestern Ohio.
After the US achieved its independence, Europeans
continued coming to America.
Newcomers from other countries were known as immigrants.
In the early 1800’s many of the immigrants that settled in
Ohio were from Germany, Ireland and other parts of Europe.
They were attracted to Ohio by its available farmland and a
desire to build a new life.