Pictured here are two Iroquois Indians pounding corn into cornmeal. Maize was first introduced into eastern North America around A.D.200, but remained a minor crop until about 800. Because it required heavy labor for land clearing and field maintenance, corn was cultivated only by the more settled, socially structured tribes. For those Indians, corn became a crucial part of their livelihood. When the first European settlers arrived, they depended on the growing of corn for their survival in the wilderness, which they learned from the Indians. They quickly recognized the benefits of a crop that could feed both livestock and people and that produced a consistently high yield per acre. Before long, corn became the premier cash crop of the colonies.

Note: The photo on this page was found at American Historical Images On File, The Native American Experience. The story was written by Professor Troy Johnson at California State University, Long Beach. Please visit his site as it contains a wealth of information about Native American History.

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