The
Mohegan tribe is an Algonquian-speaking tribe that lives in the eastern upper Thames valley of Connecticut. The Mohegan were originally a conjoined tribe with the
PequotSee Main articles:*Mashantucket Pequot*Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation.The Pequot is a tribe of Native Americans who, in the 17th century, inhabited much of what is now Connecticut. They were of the Algonquian language family...
until the period of European contact in the 17th century, briefly coming under Pequot rule in the 1630s until the dominant tribe was destroyed in 1637. The tribe gained federal recognition in 1994, and currently operates the
Mohegan SunMohegan Sun located in Uncasville, Connecticut is the world's second largest casino with of gaming space. It is located on along the banks of the Thames River. It is at the heart of the scenic foothills of southeastern Connecticut, where 60 percent of the state's tourism is concentrated...
Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut, as well as a casino at Pocano Downs, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
Synonymy
Although similar in name, the Mohegans are a different tribe from the
MahicanThe Mahicans are an Eastern Algonquian Native American tribe, originally settling in the Hudson River Valley , many then moving to Stockbridge, Massachusetts after 1780, before the remaining descendants moved to northeastern Wisconsin during the 1820s and 1830s.The tribe's name for itself was...
s. Both tribes have been referred to as Mohicans, a source of confusion based upon a mistake in translation
Adriaen BlockAdriaen Block was a Dutch private trader and navigator who is best known for exploring the coastal and river valley areas between present-day New Jersey and Massachusetts during four voyages from 1611 to 1614, following the 1609 expedition by Henry Hudson...
who was one of the first Europeans to refer to both tribes, distinguished between the "Morhicans" and the "Mahicans, Mahikanders, Mohicans,(or) Maikens".
The Mahicans came from the Hudson River Valley (around
Albany, New YorkAlbany is a city in the United States of America; it is the capital of the state of New York and the county seat of Albany County. Albany is roughly 136 miles north of the city of New York, and slightly south of the confluence of the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers. The city sits on the Hudson River and...
). Many moved to
Stockbridge, MassachusettsStockbridge is a town in Berkshire County in Western Massachusetts. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,276 at the 2000 census...
after 1780, before the remaining descendants moved to Wisconsin during the 1820s and 1830s. The Mohegan tribe, in contrast to the Mahicans, has mostly remained in New England.
See also
- Mahican
The Mahicans are an Eastern Algonquian Native American tribe, originally settling in the Hudson River Valley , many then moving to Stockbridge, Massachusetts after 1780, before the remaining descendants moved to northeastern Wisconsin during the 1820s and 1830s.The tribe's name for itself was...
- tribe with similar name
- The Last of the Mohicans
The Last of the Mohicans is a historical novel by James Fenimore Cooper, first published in January 1826.It was one of the most popular English-language novels of its time. Its narrative flaws were criticized from the start, and its length and elaborately formal prose style have reduced its appeal...
- Mahomet Weyonomon
Mahomet Weyonomon was a Native American tribal chieftain of the Mohegan tribe from Connecticut, who travelled to England in 1735 to petition King George II for better treatment of his people....
- A sachem who traveled to England in 1735 to seek better and fair treatment of his people
External links