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= Algonquin People =

History of the Algonquins
The Algonquins lived in the Ottawa valley and were hunters. They made peace with the French but once the English and Dutch arrived in the late 1800's, they endured conflict with the French. When these two nations fought France, they also conquered the Algonquin peoples. Eventually, the Algonquins lost most of their land.

Territory
The Algonquins and the French were allies while the English and Dutch faced hardships in their endeavors for new land. To colonize the Algonquins' land, the English and Dutch carried out severe genocidal processes towards the Algonquins. As a result, the Algonquin territory greatly declined from 39 million acres in Quebec and 9 million acres in Ontario. As of 2012, the Algonquins claim 117,000 acres of their traditional native territory, which accounts for 1.3%.

The land is composed of forests, rock, rivers, and lakes. The main mode of transportation into the Algonquin Territory was the Ottawa River.

Government
The Algonquin government was a monarchal and the leaders were chiefs, who were elected by the tribal council. Potentially elected chiefs were required to be males, wise, and related to the previous chief. The government had a highly democratic decision-making process. The chief was not the decision makers, as he was solely a respectable spokesperson who overlooked committee meetings and displayed final decisions.

Families
Algonquin families frequently gathered together to hunt. It was critical for members to gather enough food in the warm season before the winter season approached. Extended families joined together to hunt in specific regions consisting of 1000 square kilometers. In each region were small groups of thirty members, composed of grandparents, parents, and grandchildren.

Animals, Especially Moose
Prior to the Algonquin peoples valuing moose for both food and clothing, smaller animals such as beavers and hares were the most important animals. Nevertheless, hunting continues to be a large part of their culture, even though their current limited territorial rights foster moose hunting restrictions. The Algonquin peoples were highly resourceful: they would eat the meat of animals and not let the rest of the body go to waste; the skin and bones were used for arts, clothing, and games.

Various animals were used for clothing. Mittens were made from beaver fur and muskrat fur while moccasins and leggings were made from moose hide and deer hide.

Water and Plants
The Algonquin peoples used freshwater for cooking, cleaning, and drinking. They also utilized shrubs, trees, and bushes for food, shelter, and medicine, respectively.

Culture, Religion, and Spiritual Beliefs
The Algonquins had many spiritual beliefs, but were simple people. They had two rules of life: follow the circle, and respect every organism. The circle was their central way of life, in which all plants, animals, and humans evolved. The Algonquins had significant beliefs for the creation of the world; they believed that animals were initially masters all living in peace until they began fighting and destroying world peace.