▁to ▁European ▁contact ▁in ▁the ▁eastern ▁part ▁of ▁North ▁America , ▁with ▁some ▁arch ae olog ists ▁distingu ishing ▁the ▁Mississ ipp ian ▁period , ▁from ▁ 1 0 0 0 ▁CE ▁to ▁European ▁contact ▁as ▁a ▁separate ▁period . ▁The ▁term ▁" W ood land ▁Period " ▁was ▁introduced ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s ▁as ▁a ▁generic ▁term ▁for ▁pre histor ic ▁sites ▁falling ▁between ▁the ▁Arch a ic ▁h unter - g ather ers ▁and ▁the ▁agricult ural ist ▁Mississ ipp ian ▁cult ures . ▁The ▁Eastern ▁Wood lands ▁cultural ▁region ▁covers ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁eastern ▁Canada ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁Sub ar ctic ▁region , ▁the ▁Eastern ▁United ▁States , ▁along ▁to ▁the ▁G ulf ▁of ▁Mexico . ▁ ▁This ▁period ▁is ▁various ly ▁considered ▁a ▁development al ▁stage , ▁a ▁time ▁period , ▁a ▁suite ▁of ▁techn ological ▁adapt ations ▁or ▁" tra its ", ▁and ▁a ▁" family ▁tree " ▁of ▁cult ures ▁related ▁to ▁earlier ▁Arch a ic ▁cult ures . ▁It ▁can ▁be ▁character ized ▁as ▁a ▁chron ological ▁and ▁cultural ▁manifest ation ▁without ▁any ▁massive ▁changes ▁in ▁a ▁short ▁time ▁but ▁instead ▁having ▁a ▁continuous ▁development ▁in ▁stone ▁and ▁b one ▁tools , ▁le ather ▁craft ing , ▁text ile ▁manufact ure , ▁cultiv ation , ▁and ▁shelter ▁construction . ▁Many ▁Wood land ▁pe op les ▁used ▁spe ars ▁and ▁at lat ls ▁until ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁period , ▁when ▁they ▁were ▁replaced ▁by ▁b ows ▁and ▁ar rows ; ▁however ,