The Aboriginal peoples once occupied the entire territory of Quebec and North America. In around 1500, the Algonquians occupied a very large area called the Canadian Shield.
These people were nomadic. They were constantly travelling in search of food. They set up camps near rivers and streams (to transport their equipment and also to fish) or near herds of animals for hunting.
The Iroquoians lived in the lowlands of the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes. They were sedentary, meaning they lived in villages and did not need to travel much to get food.
The Iroquoians built their villages near rivers for fishing, and on fertile land where they could grow vegetables. They also chose a place near a forest: they used the wood to build their houses and they hunted the animals for food.