History of Ontario - First Nations

Artifacts and archaeological excavation that show human habitation of what is today Ontario date back at least 7,000 years. Many distinct native cultures and languages flourished. In the north, Algonquin, Cree and Ojibwa people fished and hunted. The first farmers in the south were the Huron, Tobacco (Petun), Neutrals (Attiwandaron), and Iroquois. The Iroquois Five Nations included the Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida and Mohawk. The Tuscarora joined the Five Nations in 1722 and henceforth they were known as the Six Nations. The Iroquois lived mostly in northern New York State until after the American Revolution when many of them moved to Ontario as Loyalists. Distinct native cultures and languages have continued and evolve to this day.