Native Americans of New Jersey: The Lenape

Discover the advanced society of the Lenape, New Jersey's original people. Learn their culture, daily life, and how they lived off the land.

Guiding Question:Were the Lenape an advanced society? ** For the purpose of this class, if a society has at least 1 of these themes, then we can consider it advanced! **We will further discuss the importance of them all in class on Monday :) Lenape: Land of the People The Lenni-Lenape are the original natives of present-day New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New York and Delaware.The word "Lenape" means "the people," and "Lenni-Lenape" means "true people.” Today, about 1,600 Lenape people live in four communities in Oklahoma and southern New Jersey.Land of the PeopleThe Lenape called their land "Lenapehoking," which means "land of the people." They lived on the land in villages of 200 to 300 people, as well as in small groups of 25 to 50.Everyone had a job. Men cleared the land, made houses, trapped animals and birds, and in times of war, defended the land from intruders. Women planted and harvested crops, gathered nuts and berries, collected maple sap and boiled it down to make syrup. Women also wove baskets and made clothing and coverings for shelter from animal hides. Family ties were strong, and people's ancestors were traced through the mother's family. The Lenape had three clans -- Wolf, Turtle and Turkey -- and were encouraged to marry members of other clans. For example, if a woman was from the Wolf clan, she must marry a man from either the Turtle or Turkey clan.Living Off Their LandLike many eastern woodland tribes, the Lenape relied heavily on the "three sisters" -- corn, beans and squash, to survive. They ate corn-on-the-cob, corn and bean patties, soup bread and boiled or baked squash from plates and bowls made from bark and utensils made from wood. The women hung corn, squash and other foods to dry in the hot summer sun. To make it through the long winters, women boiled these foods. They also stored dried food in holes dug in the ground lined with mats and grasses.Lenape FashionThe Lenape used animal skins -- primarily deer and beaver -- to make clothing and moccasin shoes. Women wore their hair long -- sometimes in braids -- while men sometimes plucked out all their hair by the roots except for a small spot on the top of the head. Men tattooed themselves with pictures of animals, birds or snakes. Women used paint made with a plant called bloodroot and bear grease to apply to their cheeks and foreheads, like makeup.The Lenape people were forced from their homelands by the British. Even though they were the first Native American tribe to sign a treaty with the American government, most Lenape relocated to Oklahoma in the mid-1800s.(Source: MATCHING: Match each Lenape fact with its proper SPICEcategory!SPICE categories:- Social Structures- Political Structures- Interactions (with the environment)- Culture- Economic Structures) Men cleared the land, made houses, trapped animals and birds, and in times of war, defended the land from intruders. Women planted and harvested crops, gathered nuts and berries, collected maple sap and boiled it down to make syrup. Social Structure They ate corn-on-the-cob, corn and bean patties, soup bread and boiled or baked squash from plates and bowls made from bark and utensils made from wood. Interaction (with environment) Men tattooed themselves with pictures of animals, birds or snakes. Women used paint made with a plant called bloodroot and bear grease to apply to their cheeks and foreheads, like makeup. Culture Exit Ticket - THESIS STATEMENTWere the Lenape natives an advancedsociety? Why or why not? (2 complete sentences) Criteria for Success:Your response should include:1. One SPICE category (social structures, political structures, interactions with environment, culture, economic structures).2. One example from the text to support your claim.