Tribal Alliances

Another longstanding assumption about Native American history is that each tribe operated independently of the others, and often at cross purposes when it came to dealing with White explorers and settlers.  What White explorers failed to understand was the delicate web of trade and military alliances that trails like the Great Warpath made possible.  Throughout this period of time (1600-1842), we're going to run across many of these alliances, some traditional, some formed to deal with a particular crisis.  Here are just a few.  I will be adding more on the Tribal Alliances page connected to this blog.

Council of Three Fires, is a traditional union of the Ojibwe/Chippewa, Ottawa, and Potawatomi tribes.  Originally three inter-related bands, the three groups formed distinct tribal identities and may have formed their union as early as 76 AD.  While they tried to maintain peace with their neighbors, they were a buffer between more powerful tribes, such as the Iroquois and the Sioux.

Great Western Confederacy, was made up of several tribes and groups of tribes who came together to fight against the Settlers in the Northwest Indian War.  They were, the Council of Three Fires, the Iroquois Confederacy, the Seven Nations of Canada, the Wabash Confederacy, Illinois Confederacy, Wyandot, Missassaugas, Menominee, Shawnee, Lenape, Miami, Kickapoo, Kaskaskia, Chickamauga Cherokee, and Upper Muscogee. 

Illinois Confederacy, the Cahokia, Chepousa, Chingoa, Coiracoentanon, Espiminkia, Kaskaskia, Maroa, Michigamea, Moingwena, Peoria, Tamaroa, and Tapouara.  They spoke various dialects of the Illinois-Miami language.  There original land stretched from modern-day Iowa, to the shores of Lake Michigan, where Chicago now stands, and down into modern Arkansas.  Most of these tribes are extinct, with just the five tribes of Cahokia, Kaskaskia, Michigamea, Peoria and Tamaroa remaining by the 19th century.  Their remnants are represented by the Peoria Tribe of Indians in Oklahoma.

Iroquois Confederacy, there are various dates as to when several major nations of the Iroquois accepted the teachings of the Peacemaker and formed their Confederacy, ranging from c. 1100-1450.  By the time Whites reached American shores in the 1600's, they were already a powerful force to be reckoned with.  The original five nations were the Mohawk, Seneca, Cayuga, Oneida, and Onendaga, with the Tuscarora joining as the sixth Nation in 1722.

Powhatan Confederacy, a network of over thirty Native tribes based in what is now North Carolina and portions of North Carolina.  Among some of these tribes were the Accohannock, Ahone, Appomattoc, Arrohattic, Chesepeake, Chickahominy, Kecoughton, Kiskiak, Mattapone, Nansemond, Nanzatico, Okeus, Pamunkey, Paspahegh, Rappahonnack and Secoton.  Effectively destroyed by the series of wars known as the Powhatan Wars (1610-1646). 

Seven Nations of Canada were a historic alliance of Native tribes that were allies of France throughout the Seven Years War (1755-1762), even though they were related to tribes who were in other groups.  They included, the Mohawk of Akwesasne, the Kahnawake Mohawk, Mohawk and Anishinaabeg (Algonquian and Nipissing) of Kanesetake, Abenaki of Odanak, Abenaki of Bancour, Huron/Wendake of Jeune-Lorrette, and Onendaga of Oswegatchie.
 
Tecumseh's Confederacy, gathered to fight in his ill-fated revolt (1811-1813), were composed of some of the same Native tribes of the Great Confederacy, with a few exceptions.  Neither the Creek nor the Cherokee wished to participate, as they were hoping to retain their lands by seeking peace with the government. 

Wabanaki Confederacy, made up of Native tribes living in what is now Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, as well as New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and parts of Quebec.  In addition to the Abenaki, these tribes are the Mik'Maq, Maliseet, Passamaquoddy and Penobscot.

Wabash Confederacy, were a group of Natives who, as their name implies, lived near the Wabash River, such as the Weas, Piankashaws, some Kickapoos, Mascoutens, and others.

Wampanoag Confederacy, based in what is now Southeastern Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island, the confederacy included the Massachussett, Mattabesic, Mohegan, Narragansett, Niantic, Montauckett, Nipmuck, Patuxet, Pauguset, Pocumtuc, Pequot, Shinnecock, Tunxis, and Wampanoag.  Many of these tribes went extinct in the first years and decades of White contact.  The Confederacy was smashed during King Phillip's War (1675-76).  Today, only a few bands remain scattered in Massachusetts.