Peoples of the Inland SeaDiverse in their languages and customs, the Native American peoples of the Great Lakes regionthe Miamis, Ho Chunks, Potawatomis, Ojibwas, and many othersshared a tumultuous history. In the colonial era their rich homeland became a target of imperial ambition and an invasion zone for European diseases, technologies, beliefs, and colonists. Yet in the face of these challenges, their nations strong bonds of trade, intermarriage, and association grew and