The family played an important role in Northeast Indian society. Most tribes were further organized into clans – clusters of related families who claimed a common ancestor. The Iroquois were a matrilineal society, with descent and property passing through the female line. Each clan was headed by an elder woman, known as a clan mother, who owned the crops and the communal dwellings and held great political power. They elected tribal chiefs, who were generally male, retained the right to veto actions they opposed, and had to approve declarations of war. Unlike the Iroquois, the Algonquian were a patrilineal society, with descent and property traced through the male line.
- tribe [traib] n.部落
- clan [klæn] n. 部族
- ancestor [ˈænsistə] n.祖先
- matrilineal [ˌmætriˈliniəl] adj.母系的
- descent [diˈsent] n. 血统
- clan mother [klæn - ˈmʌðə] n. 族长
- dwelling [ˈdweliŋ] n. 住处，居住空间
- chief [tʃi:f] n. 首领
- retain [riˈtein] v. 保留
- veto [ˈvi:təu] v. 否决
- declaration [ˌdekləˈreiʃən] n. 宣言
- patrilineal [ˌpætrəˈliniəl] adj.父系的
- trace [treis] v. 顺着；追溯
