Shelter

• The Iroquois lived in longhouses that were as large as 200 feet long and constructed of long poles of wood. However, rather than measuring the longhouses by feet, the Iroquois measured them by campfire pits. There were usually 10 to 12 large fires positioned in a line along the center of the longhouse, to be shared by all for heat and cooking. Each longhouse was home to a clan of several families -- as many as 60 people altogether -- and each family was assigned its own section within the longhouse. Their clans moved from one location to the next every 10 to 15 years as their fields ceased to produce viable crops of corn, beans and squash.
  
  

Matriarchy

• The Iroquois lived in matriarchal societies, so property was traditionally passed down the female bloodline. Women made all the clan's decisions regarding land and resources. However, the eldest woman, called the clan mother, headed each clan and possessed the authority to select her clan's tribal council, which consisted only of men. She also advised them before they came together to make clan decisions. Because she had the power to remove her selected council members from their positions and replace them as she saw fit, they typically opted to rule as she wished.
  
  

Marriage

• Marriages took place by mutual consent, with men and women choosing mates from outside their own clans. In their matriarchal society, the woman possessed authority over her immediate family. Polygyny was in practice until the late 18th century. Upon being married, a man relocated to the longhouse of his new wife, and any children they bore were considered as members of their mother's clan. Women were allowed to divorce their husbands as they wished, and the women retained custody of their children in such instances.
  
  

Roles

• In Iroquois society, men hunted deer and game. Once a boy proved his ability to kill a deer on his own, he was allowed to join the men in their hunt. The men also constructed the longhouses and built canoes, tools and weapons for war. Additionally, they planned and fought in battles with warring nations as the need arose. Iroquois women harvested the crops, tended the gardens, made clothing, cooked meals, gathered fruits and vegetables, raised the children and made clay pots for cooking and storage. Both Iroquois men and women made music, developed art, practiced storytelling and practiced medicine.