Population and the First Contact with Europeans

Minnasota State University says that “The Wyandot territory once spanned from the Niagara River on the east, to the St. Claire River and lake to the west, and Lake Erie on the south. The Wyandot nation lived a peaceful life and maintained their vast territory for many years. The population in 1535 numbered between 30,000-45,000. After years of warring and a epidemic in 1640 their population declines to less than 10,000.” (Wyandot)


http://www.wyandottemuseums.org/dotnetnuke/Portals/0/Historical%20Facts/Wyandotte%20(162)%20web.jpg

700 years ago the tribe began creating the long-houses, intended for warmth in the winter and coolness in the summer, as well as walls surrounding their area.

http://www.octavia.net/images/earlyEnglishArchitecture/fyrkatLongHouseExterior.jpg


The new founded Huron nation during the 14^th, 15^th, and 16^th centuries used the Toronto Passage as a way to gain more hunting ground. During this time as well, some Iroquoians passed through Huronia area and joined their tribes causing Huronia to grow in size. This caused more and more issues for the Huron and the Iroquois because they were fighting over the same area of land to own.


It is believed that the first contact with the Europeans is anywhere between 1600 and 1620. While the ladder being more probable to when the Europeans entered Huronia, instead of early when it would be where a few people from the tribe met some Europeans on trade. The majority of the Huron befriended the French who were robust in the area, this including the infamous Samuel de Champlain, there is a probability that Samuel de Champlain never actually entered Huronia directly, but he must have passed it to attack the Iroquois in 1615. 

http://www.sonofthesouth.net/revolutionary-war/explorers/samuel-de-champlain.jpg