The
Iroquois lived very different lives than the ones we live today. Without
all the luxuries New Yorkers have today, the Iroquois had to rely on their
natural resources for transportation, shelter, clothing, and recreation.
When a baby was born, the mother would carry the baby in a cradleboard (Just like the one in the picture). The older girl in the family would take care of her younger brothers and sisters. If the older sister was an only child, she would take care of her little cousins.
Also, the mother might take the baby with her while she was gathering or farming. The cradleboard would be hung on a tree so the mother could watch the baby. If the wind rocked the cradleboard, the baby might fall asleep. Young girls would help their mothers plant the seeds, farm the fields, and harvest the crops. Young boys would learn to hunt with bows and arrows. They would hunt for rabbits and birds.