Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Before European colonization, several distinct Native American groups inhabited the territory of present-day New Jersey.
The original inhabitants. Semi-nomadic hunters, farmers, and fishermen. Their land was gradually taken by Dutch and English colonists, leading to dispersal.
Based in the Tidewater region (Virginia), their territory extended into parts of New Jersey. Led by Chief Powhatan; known for strong military and political organization.
Iroquoian-speaking people from the Susquehanna River Valley. Expanded east across the Delaware River into southern New Jersey in the early 17th century. Primary villages in the Lower Delaware Valley.
Powerful confederacy of six nations originating in present-day New York. By the 17th century, claimed sovereignty over lands including New Jersey, influencing Lenape and other tribes.
Inhabited the Schuylkill River Valley (Eastern Pennsylvania). Active in trade networks with Lenape and other tribes, playing a key role in intertribal relations in the region.
These groups had complex relationships involving trade, alliance, and conflict, which were dramatically altered by European arrival.