Some evidence suggests that the predecessors of the Lenapi originated in Siberia and then crossed the Bering Strait to the North American continent. Then over several generations one of the groups migrated to the eastern seaboard, possibly becoming the first human inhabitants of the eastern part of North America some 10,000+ years ago. This would have been at a time when mastodon and mammoth roamed the Delaware Valley. The archeological discovery of an Indian campsite on the Musconetcong river in Warren County NJ (and the carbon dating of some of the artifacts) date back to this very early period.
Of the various Indian tribes that came to inhabit the eastern portion of North America the Lenapi appear to have been the least aggressive; desiring to hunt, plant, fish and exist in peace with their neighbors. The Five Nations of the Iroquois and Minquas being some of their more aggressive neighbors, who at various times tried to subjugate the Lenapi.
Dutch settlers in the early 1600's were the first Europeans to barter with the Lenape Indians (and other tribes in the PA,/NJ/Delaware areas); followed by the Swedes, English and French. The early settlers made numerous land purchases from the Indians, who were under the impression that the presents they received were tokens of appreciation for allowing the use of their land, never thinking they were ceding their full ownership rights. Along with the European traders, settlers and governments came their Christian missionaries, who preached the virtures of their religion while the land was changing hands.
Prior to the white man arriving, native hunters killed only what was needed to support their families - after white contact, hunting became an orgy of destruction. Most of the beaver in the Delaware valley were wiped out early on to meet the fashion demands in Europe for hats made from their pelts.
Over the next century Indian lands and traditional cultures were devastated by the influx of settlers, foreign governments, missionaries and traders. In the process, Indians had also became dependent on European manufactured goods. Wars between the French and English, the revolution and the ever increasing settlement populations continually pushed the Indians out of their native lands and west. Small pox, venereal and other diseases introduced by the Europeans impacted the Indian populations. The mixing of bloodlines with whites and between different tribes during the migrations further caused many distinct cultures to become blurred or lost.

Kee-shay-lum-moo-kawng was the word the Lenapi's used to refer to the Great Spirit/God and Manitowuk was the term used for lesser spirit agents, which were forces present in all manifestations of nature (trees, flowers, rocks etc.). The deep seated religious convictions of the Lenapi did not include a satan or devil, this was a concept introduced by the Christians. One component of the Lenapi's religion was a belief in dreams, visions and the existence of guardian spirits. These were a line of communication between the supernatural world and everyday life.
The Lenapi's simple tools, weapons, utensils, and clothing met their economic needs; their religious life gave them spiritual fulfillment; and they lived in peace in the unhurried life of their communal villages, where they were taught to share with each other. (4)

Small scale societies, all people acquainted; low population density. Living within the natural ecosystem encouraged; harmony with nature the norm; only mild alterations of nature for immediate needs: food, clothing, shelter; no permanent damage. Low impact technology. Entire world viewed as alive: plants, animals, people, rocks. Humans not superior, but equal part of the web of life. Reciprocal relationship with non-human life. No private ownership of land, water, minerals or plant life. Direct participatory democracy (rather than representative democracy); Decentralized structure - with power residing mainly in the communities. Decisions based on consensual process involving whole tribe. These precepts allowed them to live for thousands of years in sustainable concert with nature.

The Great Binding Law of the Iroquois was the single most important model for the 1754 Albany Plan of Union, and later the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. It was the prime example of a successful noncoercive society with equal political, economic, social, and civil rights for all its people. Their model significantly influenced the formation of the US constitution and also (to some degree) the models of Marx and communism (1). American history books usually place the creative intellect for our constitution with Jefferson, Franklin, Madison etc, when in fact many of their ideas were actually taken from the Great Binding Law. It wasn't an advanced western society influencing the Indians, rather the other way around. The US constitution enacted a representative form of democracy rather than the participatory one and over the course of several centuries, these representatives diverted most of the remaining Native American lands out of the hands of its original stewards. Many issues surrounding the now age old promises made to Native American's remain in bureaucratic quagmires to this day. Certainly an argument for how a centralized system of democratic government has the potential to be subverted by money and corporate influence. That influence is hyperactive today in the government's heavy involvement in institutions such as The World Bank, IMF and the GATT agreements; which sacrifice cultures & ecosystems around the globe for the enrichment of a small number of multinational corporations and individuals.
There is both wisdom and heart in many of the ways and philosophies of the original native american cultures (attributes in short supply in our material society). Not all are applicable in today's world, but many are and could be used to make changes to better this little planet.