Longhouses were used by the Iroquois. These were long rectangular structures with wood framework and bark coverings. They might reach lengths of more than 100 feet. Each family would have their own compartment that could be divided from the others for privacy by a wall constructed of bark or animal hide. The roof was made up of branches covered in clay or dirt. There would usually only be one door to enter the house which is why it's called a longhouse.
Iroquois people built their homes out of fallen trees, cut into strips of approximately 15 inches wide by 120 inches long. The logs were then split down the middle, hollowed out and chinked with mud or plaster. The walls were then attached to the frame with wooden pegs driven through the log ends. The roof was made of overlapping horizontal boards or shingles made of wood or bark. The apex of the roof was made of grass or clay, and the whole structure was painted red or black. Longhouses were very important to the Iroquois people because they represented community unity. Everyone had a role to play in building the home, so individuals would feel proud and honored when their names were inscribed on the walls in marks made using the juice from boiled acorns.
In conclusion, an Iroquois longhouse is a type of building used by Native Americans during the Great Lakes region of North America.
What kind of houses did they have? The walls were usually not more than 8 feet tall but could be as high as 20 feet for the larger ones. The roofs were made of overlapping boards tied to a central pole. The covers of the longhouses were removable so that everyone did not have to sleep in them.
The tribe lived in the longhouse only during ceremonies or when there was fighting war. Otherwise, they moved into other smaller lodges. These had frames made of wooden poles and covered with animal skins or cloth. There would be one large room with a sleeping platform inside where the family slept. Sometimes there were additional rooms for storing food or tools.
The tribe lived this way for many years before someone got the idea of building houses out of stone. When these first appeared about 400 years ago, they were not like any houses you have probably seen before. They were mostly just small shelters you could crawl into. Some had windows, but most didn't. Those who needed to cook food over an open fire outside their homes built platforms to put their fires on. These are called "fire circles" by archaeologists because that is exactly what they look like from the air!
During the winter, they were frequently wrapped in animal skins to keep the cold air out. Each Iroquois longhouse was built to house up to twenty families or more. On either side of the passageway, a family would occupy a booth. There was a wooden platform for sleeping in the booth. Under this was a layer of dried grass that served as a mattress. A blanket made of buffalo skin was used instead.
Iroquois women knitted clothing for themselves and woven cloth for trading with Europeans. The men hunted, fished, fought with weapons such as swords, spears, and knives, and built their houses.
The women of the tribe were responsible for preparing the food. They picked berries when they were in season and harvested corn by digging down into the hard ground with their hands and pulling up the ears of corn. The women also gathered nuts from trees and dug up tubers from the ground with their hands.
When not working on behalf of their households, the men went on hunting trips or performed other tasks assigned to them. Although they didn't do all the work around the house, it can be assumed that they participated in building the houses they lived in.
Children enjoyed running about outside after dark, playing games, and learning skills from their parents. In fact, children were expected to help their parents by doing chores around the house.
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