Native Americans Longhouse Essay - 1061 Words

Native Americans Longhouse One of the most important structures to the Native American tribes of Western New York is the longhouse. This structure built only of wood. These structures allowed for these people to stay warm throughout winters that could be as harsh as any we have seen. The masterly crafted houses provided warmth in the winter and in the summers allowed for the air to flow through and keep the house cool. Without these houses, the tribes of New York would not have survived. The Iroquois tribe was part of an alliance with five other tribes throughout New York that banded together against enemies, talked about land, and traded with each other. These peaceful people operated in a democracy, one†¦show more content†¦The longhouse, much like the village, offered the inhabitants a sense of unity. The longhouse was built for multiple families not just for one. These houses are monstrous. Almost all of the houses are 20 feet high and 20 feet wide, the only differences are the length which varied. The houses were then divided up into sections which allowed for multiple families to live there. Normally, each family had a 20 by 20 by 20 areas to use as their own. However, normally the center of the house was a common area which was used for fire and for everything else in the house. The structure of these houses is extremely sturdy. The Native Americans did the building of these houses in the spring when the wood was still flexible. This allowed for them to shape the wood into an arch like shape and bend it over the top. By bending the wood, then placing some kind of roof on top, the water would run off better and the smoke would escape quicker. Wooden posts were inserted into the ground and served as the framework of the house. By placing these into the ground, it assured that they wouldn’t be moving or bending. Posts were inserted very systematically to provide the structural stability, as well as separate the inside compartments from each other. These posts had horizontal posts which were lashed to them which provided support from the outside if you tried it getShow MoreRelatedThe Native American Iroquois Communities Essay1619 Words   |  7 Pagesserving more than 400 students. Out of this student population, 85% of students are economica lly disadvantaged. The school also serves students with disabilities (31%) and English language learners (6%). The dominating ethnicities are Black or African American (51%) and Hispanic or Latino (40%). This is an ICT fourth grade classroom with around 25 students between the ages of eight through ten. 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