Final answer:
Pre-Columbian indigenous groups in the Northeast and along the Atlantic Seaboard practiced agriculture, especially cultivating maize, beans, and squash, domesticated animals, and engaged in intertribal commerce utilizing extensive trade networks. Wampum was used both as currency and for formal agreements, showcasing their complex economic systems.
Step-by-step explanation:
Indigenous groups in the Northeast and along the Atlantic Seaboard in the Pre-Columbian period engaged in a blend of economic practices. Most notably, these groups were involved in agriculture, the domestication of animals, and the utilization of trade routes for intertribal commerce.
They did not employ complex irrigation like some cultures in the arid Southwest, instead, they relied heavily on the Three Sisters: maize, beans, and squash, which were crops well-suited to the climate and soil of the region. These agricultural practices allowed them to form more permanent settlements and support larger populations. The practice of farming and domestication of animals enabled these groups to develop complex societies, as evidenced by the rise of the Mississippian tradition and large agricultural communities across the Mississippi River valley.
Furthermore, trade was integral to their economies, with goods such as stone, copper, and shells traveling long distances through established trade networks. The interchangeable use of wampum as currency and for formal agreements was a unique economic practice amongst these groups. Overall, these societies were advanced and multifaceted and played a significant role in shaping the history of their regions.