The Pequot people were indigenous to the eastern coast of what is now the United States. They were skilled farmers, hunters, and fishers, and they built dome-shaped houses called wigwams. The wigwams were constructed of wooden frames covered with woven mats or sheets of bark, and they were designed to be portable, allowing the Pequot to move from place to place as needed.
The Pequots were also skilled agriculturalists, growing crops such as corn, beans, and squash. They used a technique called “slash-and-burn” agriculture, in which they cleared land by burning trees and brush, then planted their crops in nutrient-rich soil. In addition to farming, the Pequot also fished in the nearby rivers and hunted deer, bears, and other animals in the surrounding forests.
In the early 1600s, Dutch and English settlers arrived in Pequot territory, leading to conflict and ultimately the Pequot War of 1637. Many Pequots were killed or captured, and their traditional way of life was disrupted. Today, the Pequots are recognized as a sovereign nation and maintain a reservation in Connecticut.
The Pequot people lived in dome-shaped wigwams, were skilled farmers, fishers, and hunters, and their way of life was disrupted by the arrival of Dutch and English settlers in the early 1600s.