Wôbanaki Girl's Clothing from 1700

As a very young girl or boy, a Wôbanaki child might wear only a breechclout or nothing at all in the warm weather. Otherwise, they would dress the same as their parents. Wôbanaki people slept in whatever was 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 available through trade in the 1700s were wool and linen cloth, ready-made shirts, 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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