This article contains interesting facts and information about the life of the Mohawk Native American Indian Tribe of the Northeast woodland cultural group.
The Mohawk Tribe Summary and Definition: The Mohawk tribe were fierce, warlike easternmost members of the powerful Iroquois Confederacy. They lived along the Mohawk River of the Mohawk Valley in upstate New York to Southern Quebec and Eastern Ontario and were and considered by the Iroquois confederacy as the "keepers of the eastern door". The Mohawk were one of the most feared of all the Native Indian tribes and terrified their enemies due to the violent and brutal way in which they waged war.
What was the lifestyle and culture of the Mohawk tribe? The Mohawk tribe were a hunting, fishing and farming people who travelled extensively along the Mohawk and Hudson rivers in their elm bark canoes on hunting, trading and war expeditions. The warlike Mohawk were feared across the region due to their brutal tactics and merciless way they treated captives. Deganawida and Hiawatha established the Constitution of the Iroquois Confederacy to unite the Iroquoian tribes and eliminate the incessant inter-tribal warfare and end the custom of cannibalism. The tribes of the Iroquois Confederacy waged warfare on all of their neighboring tribes until they had all been conquered. The Mohawk tribe had the earliest regular fur trading contacts with Europeans including the Dutch, Swedish, French and British. The Mohawk became allied to the British against the French during the long French and Indian Wars (1689 - 1763). After the American Revolution, most of the Mohawk relocated to Canada, where the vast majority still reside today.
Facts about the Mohawk Native Indian Tribe This article contains fast, fun facts and interesting information about the Mohawk Native American Indian tribe. Find answers to questions like where did the Mohawk tribe live, what clothes did they wear and what food did they eat? Discover what happened to the Mohawk tribe with facts about their wars and history.
What language did the Mohawk tribe speak? The Mohawk tribe spoke in the Iroquoian language. The Mohawk called themselves the 'Kanienkahagen', meaning the "people of the flint" in reference to a mighty arrow with a powerful flint that features in their creation story. The name Mohawk was given by their enemies and derives from the Algonquian word 'Mohowawog' meaning "eaters of men", referring to their practice of ceremonial cannibalism in order to absorb the strength of their enemies.
The Mohawk tribe and the Iroquois Confederacy The Mohawk were members of the group of tribes referred to as the Iroquois Confederacy was founded c1550 by Deganawida and Hiawatha and consisted of the Mohawk, Seneca, Oneida, Onondaga and Cayuga tribes. The aim of the Iroquois Confederacy was to create an Iroquoian empire by absorbing subservient, conquered peoples. Adherence to the Constitution of Iroquois Confederacy was embodied in the Grand Council attended by 50 Sachems, called Hoyaneh. The Mohawk tribe were represented by nine Hoyaneh. Wampum were the traditional, sacred shell beads of the Iroquois tribes which were used for recording special events and as currency.
The Conquests of the Iroquois Confederacy and the Mohawk Tribe The goals of the Iroquois confederacy were met. The neighboring tribes of the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley fought for dominance of the beaver fur trade, but were conquered by the power and unity of the Iroquois Confederacy. By 1670 the Huron, Potawatomi, Fox, Sauk, Neutrals, Kickapoo Miami, Ottawa, Illinois, Osage, Kansa, Ponca, Omaha, Erie and Susquehannock had all been forced to move from their original locations.
Where did the Mohawk tribe live? The Mohawk are people of the Northeast Woodland Native American cultural group. The location of their tribal homelands are shown on the map. The geography of the region in which they lived dictated the lifestyle and culture of the Mohawk tribe.
The Northeast Woodland region extended mainly across the New England States, lower Canada, west to Minnesota, and north of the Ohio River
Land: Lush woodlands, rivers, ocean
Climate: The climate varied according to the location of the tribe
Land Animals: The animals included squirrel, white-tailed deer, raccoon, bears, beavers, moose, and caribou
Fish and Sea Mammals: Whales, Seal, Fish and shell fish
Crops: The crops grown in the area were corn (maize), pumpkin, squash, beans and tobacco
Trees: Poplar, birch, elm, maple, oak, pine, fir trees and spruce
Map showing location of the Northeast or Eastern Woodland Indians Cultural Group and the Mohawk Tribe
What did the Mohawk tribe live in? The Mohawk tribe lived in large fortified villages of Longhouses in the winter. The longhouses were built by the men but owned by the women. During the summer months the men travelled away on hunting expeditions living in temporary pyramid or dome-shaped shelters called wigwams (wetu).
The Mohawk Wigwam was built with wooden frames that were covered with woven mats, sheets of elm bark and animal skins. Ropes were wrapped around the wigwam to hold the elm bark in place.
Picture of the Mohawk leader Thayendanegea (Joseph Brant) The picture at the top of the page depicts Thayendanegea (1743 – 1807), also known as Joseph Brant, who was a chief of the Mohawk tribe. He wears a profusion of Wampum around his neck. It was painted by the artist Charles Bird King in 1835, but based on a 1806 portrait by Ezra Ames. The hair of Thayendanegea (Joseph Brant) is of interest as it depicts the traditional hairstyle of the Mohawk tribe. The Mohawk plucked (not shaved) their hair leaving short tufts which they then dyed with red ochre and then braided. The common perception of the "Mohawk" hairstyle is actually taken from the Pawnee tribe.
What type of Transportation did the Mohawk use? Elm Bark and Dugout Canoes The Mohawk tribe and the other nations of the Iroquois Confederacy primarily used elm bark for their canoes due to the lack of suitable birch trees in their lands. They also built heavier, dugout canoes that were built by the waterways, used to get to their destinations and left for future use. Dugout canoes were far too heavy for portage.
What clothes did the Mohawk wear? The clothes worn by the early Mohawk people were simple and made from animal skins or elm bark. The clothes worn by the men included long breechclouts, leggings, shirts, long cloaks and shoulder to waist length mantles. These were made from the skins of deer (buckskin) raccoon, beaver, otter and moose. Mohawk women wore wraparound skirts, tunics and cloaks. Nearly all clothes were ornamented with quills or with painted designs. Moccasins were made of one piece of animal skin with a high collar that could be left up or folded down. The ankle moccasins were greased on the outside for additional waterproofing. The men wore the hair roach, or a turban of soft fur during the cold winter months. The Europeans introduced trade cloth to the Mohawk tribe who then began to adopt a more European type of dress.
What food did the Mohawk tribe eat? The food that the Mohawk tribe ate included the 'three sisters' crops of corn, beans and squash. These crops were collectively known as 'deohako' meaning "life supporters". Fish such as salmon were an important part of their food supply. Hunters provided meat from deer (venison), moose, black bear and smaller game like squirrel, duck, rabbit and wild turkey. The Mohawk food also included nuts, vegetables, mushrooms and fruits (blueberries, strawberries and raspberries). The Mohawk people used food preservation methods of drying and smoking to ensure that foods was available through the winter months. Their food was prepared in different ways and included soups, cornbread and stews.
What weapons did the Mohawk use? The weapons used by the Mohawk warriors included bows and arrows, war clubs, tomahawks, spears and knives. Enemies of the Mohawk tribe included the Algonquin, Huron, Pennacook, Lenape, Ojibway (aka Chippewa) and the Mohican tribes together with all the other people they conquered.
Mohawk History: What happened to the Mohawk tribe? The following Mohawk history timeline details facts, dates and famous landmarks of the people. The Mohawk timeline explains what happened to the people of their tribe.
Mohawk History Timeline
1500's: Early European explorers and traders make contact with the Mohawk and trading for beaver furs begins
1619: The New Netherlands was established by the Dutch and open a trading post at Fort Nassau
1620: The Mayflower ship and the Pilgrims landed in the New World and the Massachusetts Bay Colony founded by John Mason
1620: The Great Migration of English colonists and the encroachment of Native Indian lands begin
1633: The Dutch traders begin to provide the Mohawk with guns in order to gain dominance over the Mohican along the Hudson River
1634: Epidemics of smallpox and measles are spread by the Europeans
1634: The Pequot War (1634-1638) between the English and the Pequot led by Chief Sassacus
1637: The Mohawk kill Sassacus and his warriors and send the scalp of Sassacus to the English as a symbolic offering of Mohawk friendship
1640: The Beaver Wars (1640 - 1701), also called the French and Iroquois Wars, were fought by tribes of the Iroquois Confederacy against the French and their Indian allies who included the Huron and Algonquin
1650: The Mohawk began attacking the Abenaki and other Algonquian tribes including the Pennacook
1666: The French attack the Mohawk in the central New York area, burning all the Mohawk villages
1669: French missionaries attempted to convert Mohawk people to Christianity. Some Mohawks relocate to two mission villages near Montreal and became known as the Kahnawake who become allied of the French
1680: Catherine Tekakwitha (1656 - 1680), a famous Catholic convert, aka Lily of the Mohawks, died on April 17, 1680. She was made a saint by the Catholic church
1688: The French and Indian Wars (1688-1763) begin marking the outbreak of King William's War (1688-1699) and the Mohawk become allies of the English
1702: Queen Anne's War (1702-1713) and the tribe serve as English scouts
1710: Three Mohawk chiefs and one Mohican chief travel on a state visit to Queen Anne in England in 1710. They are popularly referred to as the Four Kings
1744: King George's War (1744 - 1748)
1754: French Indian War (1754 - 1763), also known as the 7 year war, was the fourth and final series of conflicts in the French and Indian Wars fought between the British and the French. Both sides were aided by Native Indian allies
1763: French and Indian War ends in victory for the British ending the colony of New France
1768: Treaty is signed at Fort Stanwix by the Iroquois Confederacy and the British.
1775: The War of Independence (1775–1783)
1775: Thayendanegea (Joseph Brant) was a Mohawk Indian chief who served the British during the American War of Independence
1783: After the American Revolution, most of the Mohawk relocated to Canada
1812: War of 1812 (1812 - 1814). Iroquois warriors in the Niagara region fight for the British
Mohawk History Timeline
Mohawk
Interesting Facts and information about the way the Mohawk people lived
The clothes worn by men and women
Description of the homes and the type of food the Mohawk would eat
Fast Facts and info about the Mohawk
Names of famous chiefs and leaders
Interesting Homework resource for kids on the history of the Mohawk Native American Indians
Pictures and Videos of Native American Indians and their Tribes The Mohawk Tribe was one of the most famous tribes of Native American Indians. Discover the vast selection of pictures on the subject of the tribes of Famous Native Americans such as the Mohawk nation. The pictures show the clothing, war paint, weapons and decorations of various Native Indian tribes, such as the Mohawk tribe, that can be used as a really useful educational resource for kids and children of all ages. We hope you enjoy watching the video - just click and play - a great social studies homework resource for kids .
