Gathering, hunting and fishing
The Algonquians and Iroquoians both practised certain subsistenceSubsistence means the minimal resources that are necessary for survival. A subsistence economy relies on hunting... activities, like gathering, hunting and fishing. These activities provided Indigenous Nations with sources of food and the materials they needed to make clothingClothing- Items made from fabric, skins, or other materials that serve to protect and cover the... and various tools and objects.
Farming: a vital activity
The Nations that were part of the Algonquian and Iroquoian language families were different in one important way: the Iroquoian Nations practised farming. In fact, farming was the reason why they had become sedentarySedentary means to live in one place, to grow one's own food, and to build more...; in other words, to remain in the same place. Farming was hard work, and from spring to fall, the Iroquoian people were constantly in the fields.
Depending on the area being inhabited, these survival activities varied in importance among the nations. This is because soil fertility was not the same everywhere, nor was access to wildlife. For example, the Hurons grew more corn than the St. Lawrence Iroquoians living in Stadacona. But one thing was certain: farming provided the main source of food for all the Iroquoian people.
