EARLY HISTORY 



Previous to the settlement of this country by white men, New 

 York State was the seat of the powerful league of the Five Nations, 

 or Iroquois, as they were called by the French. The " Long 

 House " of their home land extended from Lake George west- 

 ward along the Mohawk valley through the Central Lakes region 

 and to the western end of the present state. 



The Mohawks, who were the leaders in war, occupied the land 

 to the east and were known as the " Keepers of the Eastern Door." 

 The Oneidas, or "People of the Stone," dwelt around Oneida 

 Lake, the name arising from a rock that they held sacred and 

 carried with them when they moved their home. West of the 

 peaceful Oneidas lived the Onondagas, or " People of the 

 Mountains." As the rugged country surrounding them made them 

 secure against attack, they were regarded as the heart or center 

 of the Long House and were called " Keepers of the Hearth Fire." 

 This tribe was much revered, and in time of peace the supreme 

 head of the Long House was always an Onondaga. 



Next west were the Cayugas, the " Youngest Brother," who were 

 in close alliance with the Senecas, or " Keepers of the Western 

 Door." Although the latter were by far the most numerous, they 

 were not held in great respect and never swayed the decisions of 

 the Council of the Long House as did the fierce Mohawks and the 

 lordly Onondagas. 



This organization was undoubtedly maintained for 300 years 

 before it was finally broken up by the onward march of a 

 greater civilization. In later years, having admitted the Tus- 

 eororas, the league was known as the Six Nations. Several 

 tribes of lesser importance lived within the present boundaries of 

 New York. Among these were the " River Indians," of which 

 the most important were the Mohegans, or Mohicans, who owned 

 much of the eastern bank of the Hudson. Those on the west bank 

 were known to. the Dutch as " Mincies." Both the Mohicans and 

 the Mincies were divided into numerous small tribes. South of 

 these were the Manahatas, the Tappans, the Hobokens, the Sing- 



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