Who were the first people to live on the land now known as New Jersey?
Q: Who were the first people to live on the land now known as New Jersey?
A: The first people to live on the land now known as New Jersey were the Delaware Indians.
Q: How long have they been living in this area?
A: They have been living in this area for at least 10,000 years.
Q: What does their name mean?
A: Their name means "original people" or "genuine people."
Q: What language did they speak?
A: They spoke an Algonquian dialect.
Q: How did they organize themselves?
A: They lived in small communities made up mostly of extended family members.
Q: What activities did men and women do during the day?
A: Men would hunt or fish during the day, while women worked in gardens growing squash, beans, sweet potatoes, and corn.
Q: Where else did Delaware Indians live besides New Jersey?
A: When the first explorers came, Delaware Indians also lived in parts of Delaware and eastern Pennsylvania.