Location,+Environment,+and+Population



**Location** The Cree Indians are known as the "first nations people" in Canada ("Native Net"). Over centuries, they have mobilized to different areas of North America, residing in between mountains, by bodies of water, and in prairies.

At one point, the Cree were located in Manitoba and Assinboine, which are in between the Red and Saskatchewan rivers ("Access Genealogy"). Another former habitat was by the Great Lakes ("Native Net"). Different bands of this tribe might live in different regions when they spread out; however, they were mostly in the same vicinity. Their main area consisted of going northeastward down Nelson River to the Hudson Bay, and then northwestward towards Athabasca Lake. Some were also found in the James Bay region ("Access Genealogy").

Conflict
The Cree were known as a friendly tribe and rarely got into conflicts with other Indians. What helped them separate themselves from this was their location. It was an isolated area that was not well populated ("Native Net"). Therefor they had plenty of their own space. An incident occurred where the Chippewa sought refuge with the Cree who allowed them to live with their tribe. They soon became one tribe together and continually lived with each other when they needed to. The Chippewa and the Cree, at one point, went on a raid together to expand their territory even more. They went into the Athapascan Country, all the way to the Rocky Mountains, and then up to the Mackenzie River. The Churchill River was their maximum limit up north so they did not go any further. ("Access Genealogy")

Reservations
In 1871, their freedom to roam the land ended once they were forced into reservations. Today the Cree Indians have settled into bands and are living in individual reservations in Canada and the northern part of the United States ("Quezi"). There are 15,000 Cree residing in Quebec and most are located to the North and West of Lake superior in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and the Northwest Territories. The Algonquian-Speaking Cree are on a reservation in Montana with the Chippewa.

Population
The Cree Indian tribe is the second largest American Indian tribe ("Quezi"). The largest band is the Lac La Ronge Band. The Cree have expanded so much because of their friendliness, inclusive, and their " openness to Inter-tribal marriage." Between Canada and the U.S. there are 200.000 registered Cree Indians, which means this number is probably greater. This tribe has around 135 different bands. Their main groups are the James Bay Cree, the Woodland Cree, and the Plains Cree. ("American Indian Articles") There use to be thousands more of Cree Indians before the European Americans settled in and brought with them the horrible disease know as Smallpox. In 1786, this awful disease infected and killed over half of the Cree Indians. In 1838, it reappeared and this time swept off half of the Plains Indians as well. They are now down to one sixth of what their population once was. ("Access Genealogy")