History of Wisconsin

After the ice age, small groups of hunters and gatherers inhabited Wisconsin. This was the Paleo-Indian period (10,000 – 6,000 BC). They used primitive weapons to hunt animals like the mammoths and mastodons. The Boaz mastodon and the Clovis artifacts associated with it show that hunting was the primary occupation. When it became warmer during the Archaic period (6,000 – 1,000 BC) the large animals either died off or migrated to other regions. Smaller mammals replaced them, and these creatures became the primary food source. People during this time lived in small groups or bands. It was during the Archaic that the copper culture flourished, wherein copper was used for making weapons and other tools. By the time of the Early Woodland period (1,000 BC – 100 AD) people started living in larger settlements. Besides hunting, cultivation of seed plants came into being. Due to better practices of irrigation and plantation, people started settling down and giving up their earlier nomadic behavior. Art also became a part of the culture. Pottery was first introduced, and so was the concept for creating mounds which were at that time mainly for burial purposes. Trade was introduced during the Middle Woodland period (100 BC – 500 AD). Art also evolved. Creation of mounds evolved further than just for the use of burials. In the late Woodland period (500 – 1000 AD) effigy mounds were created as a part of social and cultural aspect of the people. Bow and arrow was introduced, hence enhancing hunting practices. Corn was brought in as trade and was introduced during this time. During the Mississippian (1050 – 1150 AD) corn became a major crop. The social culture also transformed more into class ranks. Large towns with large mounds were created by powerful high ranked people. Pottery was also now being done in various different materials with better techniques. Maize was domesticated during the Oneota (1000 AD – historic). Other crops were also domesticated. Trade network had also become strong and complex. Finally the Europeans came in for reasons of fur trade. They kept coming in for centuries and settled and thus converting Wisconsin to what we see today.