Massachuset
Massachuset is pronounced mæs-ah-chew-set (æ as in 'cat' or 'ash'). Location: The Massachuset are a North
American Indian tribe which used to occupy more than twenty villages near the
Charles and Neponset rivers, in eastern Massachusetts to the eastern shore of
the Narragonseth Bay in Rhode Island. Boston and it’s suburbs were once
Massachuset territory.History: The Massachuset was a confederacy
of related tribes, such as the Massachuset proper, the Nauset, the Niponuc, and
the Wampanoag. They were a relatively small tribe which only numbered around
3,000 people in early colonial times. The tribe was broken up into bands, each
ruled by a separate sachem, or sub-chief. Diseases, mainly small pox,
introduced by the whites, and wars with neighboring tribes diminished the
Massachuset’s numbers considerably by 1618. Many of the Massachuset’s
villages were empty by the time settlers moved into the area. In the
1640’s, the Massachuset no longer existed as a separate, independent
tribe. Many of the survivors were moved into mission villages where they
eventually blended into everyday colonial life.Language: The Massachuset spoke the
Algonquian language, which was the language and name of a North American tribe
which inhabited areas of present day Quebec, Canada in the 17th century.Daily Life: Not much is known about these
people as much of their culture disappeared before it could be recorded. They
were known to have grown corn, and other vegetables in the fertile soil near
the rivers. They were also fishermen who depended on the rivers and the ocean
to supply them with food. They moved seasonally between set sites to best use
their food sources.Best Known Feature: The Massachuset are
probably best known for giving the state of Massachusetts it’s name.
Though this page has been carefully researched, the author does not
claim expertise on the Massachuset Confederacy.
Please send questions, comments, and corrections to emuseum@mnsu.edu and include the web address of this page.
If you are a descendant of a Massachuset tribe, your feedback is much appreciated.
References:
- "Algonquian." Academic American Encyclopedia. 1995 ed.
- "Massachuset." Academic American Encyclopedia. 1995 ed.
- "Massachuset." Encyclopedia Britannica: Micropaedia. 1994
ed.
- "Massachuset." Encyclopedia of World Cultures: North America.
1991 ed.
Written by: Chad Coleman |
