The “middle ground” in this question refers to the Great Lakes region.

Direct answer

  • The expansion of the Iroquois pushed many Algonquian‑speaking Indians into a borderland of negotiation and exchange commonly called the “middle ground,” which was located in the Great Lakes region.

Quick context

  • In early North American history, the middle ground was an area where Native groups and Europeans interacted through trade, diplomacy, and often conflict, especially around the western Great Lakes.
  • Algonquian‑speaking groups displaced by Iroquois power in the northeast moved into this Great Lakes zone, which became a buffer between different Native nations and colonial powers.

TL;DR: The “middle ground” in this question is the Great Lakes region.

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