前传：美国西北和东北部的原住民

太平洋西北部的北美原住民人口稠密，许多不同的国家在太平洋西北部发展起来，每个国家都有自己的历史、文化和社会。虽然该地区的一些文化非常相似并且具有某些共同元素，例如鲑鱼在其文化中的重要性，但其他文化则不同。美国东北部最强大的原住民势力则为易洛魁人，在那里诞生了类似于联邦制的早期部落联盟形式，据说当代美国政府的组成形式还从中有所借鉴。

附带文稿：

Northwestand northeast

Theindigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest were likely the most affluentNative Americans. Many distinct cultural and political nations developed there,but they all shared certain beliefs traditions, and practices, such as thecentrality of salmon as a resource and spiritual symbol. Permanent villagesbegan to develop in this region as early as 1,000 BCE, and these communitiescelebrated by the gift-giving feast of the potlatch. These gatherings wereusually organized to commemorate special events such as the raising of a Totempole or the celebration of a new chief.

Inpresent-day upstate New York, the Iroquois formed a confederacy of tribalnations in the mid-15th century, consisting of the Oneida, Mohawk, Onondaga,Cayuga, and Seneca. Their system of affiliation was a kind of federation,different from the strong, centralized European monarchies. Eachtribe had seats in a group of 50 sachem chiefs. It has been suggested thattheir culture contributed to political thinking during the development of theUnited States government. The Iroquois were powerful, waging war with manyneighboring tribes, and later, Europeans. As their territory expanded, smallertribes were forced further west, including the Osage, Kaw, Ponca, and Omahapeoples.

（摘自英文维基百科，美国历史词条）