Nipmuc -
A group of Indians of central Massachusetts. Took part in King Philip
War, 1675-76; few survived. More on
the Nipmuc
Pennacook -
A group of Algonkians on the Merrimac River, New Hampshire. Suffered at
the hands of encroaching English colonists, and were involved in King
Philip’s War, 1675-76. Remnants withdrew to Canada, where they merged with
the St. Francis Abenaki.
Pocomtuck -
A small confederacy of western Massachusetts and adjacent Connecticut and
Vermont. They joined the hostilities in the King Philip War and at the close
fled to Canada or joined other remnant New England groups and disappeared.
Wampanoag, Nauset, Sakonnet, Pokanoket -
A group of tribes occupying Rhode Island and the south-eastern portion of
Massachusetts and adjacent islands. Massasoit, their chief, allowed the
settlement of English colonists. His son, Metacomet or King Philip, led a
general revolt of New England tribes, 1675-1676. A few survive today in a
mixed condition at their settlements at Mashpee and Gay Head. The Wampanoag
spoke an eastern Algonkian language. The word Wampanoag translates to
"people of the dawn" in the coastal Algonkian dialect. Their homeland lies
in present day southeastern Massachusetts.
Narraganset -
The word Narraganset comes from an Algonkian word meaning "at the small
or narrow point". Traditional Narragansett homelands include present-day
Rhode Island and parts of southern Massachusetts. Culturally and
linguistically, they are eastern Algonkian Indians. They occupied the greater part of Rhode Island. They helped Roger Williams lay
the foundations of that state, and remained on friendly terms with the
whites until the King Philip War, when they joined the hostiles and lost
over 1,000 killed at the Great Swamp fight near Kingston. A few mixed with
the Eastern Niantic and remain today in their old domain mixed with other
races.
Niantic -
A group usually divided into an eastern branch of Rhode Island closely
associated with the Narraganset, and a western branch of Connecticut who
were allies of the Pequot.
Niantic-Narraganset warrior, c. 1670