As a French Canadian immigrant, Claude Ledoux was fascinated by the Native American culture on the South Coast. Further influence from the agricultural community shaped his discussion on Native American agriculture at the Dartmouth Historical & Arts Society meeting on February 19.

"Where we lived... Canada was still kind of wild," he said following his lecture. "[Native Americans] were civilized people. You have to admire people who evolved and learned and adapted to the conditions."

Here are the top nine takeaways from Ledoux's lecture:

1. The Native American people migrated from Asia over land bridges in the Bering Strait. Global cooling exposed the bridges, as much of earth's fresh waters were frozen into glaciers, causing a lower sea level.

2. Technological improvements led to more sedentary lifestyles for the Native People. Developed tools, clothing, and agricultural systems led to more "brain power" and less migration, said Ledoux.

The population of the hunter-gatherers was 41 persons per 100 square miles. Using agriculture, the Native American population bloomed to 287 persons per 100 square miles, said Ledoux. In 1600, the population of the Northeast is estimated to have been 70,000-100,000 people.

3. The Algonquian Nation spread not only throughout what's now New England, but also down the Atlantic Coast, around the St. Lawrence River valley, and around the Great Lakes region.

"By the time the White man came, government structures were set up throughout the continent, and in South America as well," said Ledoux. He further explained after the lecture that the crops were common ground, unlike the idea of "private property" brought about by the Europeans.

"The [Algonquian] government allowed for give and take, and common agreement," he said.

4. Thanks to the natives' use of fire as a tool, they were able to save foods by smoking and drying them.

5. Women did most of the farming, and also built the wigwams. Men focused on hunting, fishing, and warfare, said an attendee.

Ledoux added that the natives had learned the best growing combinations for their plants. For example, corn, beans, and squash grew well together, as the beans would grow up the corn stalks and provide nitrogen to the soil — which is vital for many plants — while the squash would provide ground coverage.

6. The Native Americans employed a slash-and-burn technique, in which they'd burn their crops one year and harvest the next, said Ledoux. The two-year cycle helped them to clear land.

7. The natives' decline was due mainly to the diseases brought over by the Europeans — as the Native People didn't have the immunities to it — as well as to the European's aggressive seizure of land, said Ledoux.

8. Not all Native Americans were exploited by Europeans. Around the St. Lawrence River and Great Plains, the French worked with the natives to mix the two cultures.

"What happened to our local Indian peoples was a lot different than what happened up north," said Ledoux.

9. The Native American agriculture on the South Coast shaped the farming industry here into what it is today.

"In the '50s, the farm diversity in this area was unbelievable. It allowed us to feed the whole world during the World Wars," said Ledoux.