Wôbanaki Boy's Clothing from 1700

A very young Wôbanaki child might wear a breechclout or nothing at all in the warm weather. Otherwise, children would dress like their parents. Wôbanaki people slept in what seemed most suited for the season. In the winter this would mean wearing several layers to bed and in the hot weather a child might sleep without clothing.

Among the numerous items for trade in the 1700s were wool and linen cloth, ready-made shirts and coats, knitted wool hats and mittens, glass beads, brass kettles, and metal axe heads and knife blades. Native American people in New England would trade with the French in New France or the English in the American colonies. Items they received might come from England, France, Holland, or as far away as India.

Navigate to each layer of this activity by clicking on the "Next" and "Previous" buttons. Using your cursor, roll over each image to learn about the unfamiliar clothing.

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