Native American Farming and the Rise of Agriculture

First Nations

What are the origins of domesticated crops in eastern North America and the Great Lakes region?

Native Americans living in eastern North America—which includes what’s now Wisconsin—have been cultivating plants for thousands of years. The first plant to be domesticated in this area was squash around 5,000 years ago. Indigenous peoples in this region also traded and interacted with other groups, incorporating more plants into their own agricultural practices. This was how plants like corn and beans became important food staples for some Native groups in the Great Lakes area. Corn, beans, and squash also make up the “Three Sisters” approach to agriculture. Native nations in Wisconsin continue this deep tradition of working with the landscape.