Location: The Pequot lived in the eastern woodlands area formerly known as the Thames Valley. The Pequot now reside on two reservations in southeast Connecticut. The Mashantucket Pequot have built one of the largest gambling casinos, which is located in the city of Ledyard.
History: The Pequot Chief, Sassacus, ruled both the Pequot tribe and the Mohegan tribe. This all changed when the Uncas rebelled, resulting in Mohegan independence. The Pequot then went south to invade the Niantic tribe. The Pequot eventually were able to expand their territory to the Connecticut River. British settlers moved in near the Pequot and lived together peacefully, trading goods and exchanging information. New colonists were gradually moving in, in a forceful manner that upset the Pequot.
The Pequot soon found themselves stuck between the Narragansett Bay and the Connecticut River and resentment began to grow within the tribe. Several quarrels had been taking place between the British and Pequot over the previous years. It all came to a head in 1636 when a Pequot was accused of murdering a Boston trader on Block Island. An expedition was sent to destroy native villages and the crops of the Pequot. This made the tribe more defensive and more determined to protect their homeland. Clergymen encouraged violence and British settlers decided to fight. The short but deadly Pequot War of 1637 was headed up by Captain John Mason and John Underhill on the British side.
The British had the help of the Mohegan and Narraganset tribes. The Pequot's main fort, located at Mystic, Connecticut, was attacked by surprise and burned and pillaged. Nearly 600 Pequot were burned alive or slaughtered. The Pequot decided to escape in small groups. One group escaped to Long Island, another to the interior of the state. The last group was lead by Sassacus, who was caught near Fairfield, Connecticut. They were all either killed or captured. Those that were caught were sold into slavery to others in New England or the West Indies. Sassacus, who managed to escape with a few others, were caught and killed by the Mohawk. The Mohegan took possession of all Pequot land. Those who had become slaves were treated terribly so the colonial government stepped in and took control of the slaves. The government resettled the remaining few tribe members on the Mystic River. The population never grew back after the war. The number of tribe members dropped down to 200 in the late 20th century.
Daily Life: The Pequot cultivated acres of corn, fished in the rivers and hunted woodland animals for their meat and for skins.
Though this page has been carefully researched, the author does not claim expertise on the Pequot.
Please send questions, comments, and corrections to emuseum@mnsu.edu and include the URL.
If you are Pequot, your feedback is much appreciated.
Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation http://www.foxwoods.com/TheMashantucketPequots/Home/
References:
Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Pequot http://members.eb.com/bol/topic?eu=60661&sctn=1#s_top 6 March 2001
Enclopedia.com. Pequot http://www.encyclopedia.com/articlesnew/10008.html 6 March 2001
Author: Jenifer Bussian