Early American History - Essay Example

It all depended on which next male heir was available to fulfill the position. Women did not hold any government positions. These were only restricted to males within the tribes (Native Languages of the Americas). While men were out warring for the tribe, hunting for food, trading good with other tribes, and governing the people, women were responsible for the care of the children and overseeing domestic matters. They were responsible for the welfare of the family as a whole. They saw to it that meals were prepared and that their husbands were well cared for.

Nothing has ever been said about women owning property, as the Algonquin's were nomadic people. They moved about quite a bit, as they had to settle were the food supply was greatest (Native Language of the Americas). As far as economics was concerned, these people primarily survived on trading. Some of the items that they traded were beadworks, tobacco, and other goods with other neighboring tribes, such as the Iroquois, whenever they were not warring with them (Native Language of the Americas).

The political, social, and economic characteristics of the Iroquois were very similar to the Algonquin's; however, there were a few differences. Like the Algonquin's, the Iroquois engaged in trading, and their tribes were led by chiefs. . Unlike the Algonquin people, the Iroquois were not nomadic. While they did hunt for food, their farming lifestyle enabled them to reside in one place (Native Languages of the Americas). Though the Iroquois were led by chiefs, their government was very similar to the United States government of today.

As a matter of fact, some of the characteristics of our government were derived from the Iroquois Confederacy. While the Algonquin chiefs were only selected through heredity, Iroquois chief were elected, just as people are elected for offices today. While women were not able to be chiefs, they were certainly allowed to vote (Native Languages of the Americas). The social, political, and economic characteristics of the Muskogee Indians were pretty much the same as those of the Iroquois but with a few subtle differences.

Men hunted and fought for the protection of their people, while women stayed behind to care for the families. Just like Iroquois women, Muskogee women grew crops for consumption. On the other hand, Muskogee women did not own their own property, and they did not participate in the election of government officials, nor did they hold government positions (Net Industries).When comparing the sexual divisions of labor of the English settlers, the Iroquois, and the societies of Western Africa, we can see that while there are some similarities, there are also some drastic differences.

One similarity that all three groups share is that the women stayed home and cared for the needs of the family. They made sure the members of the family were well fed, as they were the cooks of the house, and they cared for the children. The men always held high positions in government, and they had more authority in society. The differences, however, were the English