Hello & Happy Tuesday!
Firstly, because I have a new Tradepaper book of THE ANGEL AND THE WARRIOR coming on sale on March 16th, I would like to offer a free e-book of LAKOTA SURRENDER to one of you bloggers today. All you have to do to enter into the drawing is to leave a comment..
Okay, so today, I thought I”d discuss the Mohawk Indians and in particular their part in the French and Indian War. I found a little known point of history that I”d never known and have never seen it imparted in any history of the Mohawk. I love these little known facts.
This is really quite an important fact because it contributed to the downfall of the Mohawk Indians. It”s a bit of history with an impact, if one views history (real history — not what one is taught in school) because if one can and should learn from the mistakes of those who have gone before, this would be a good bit of history to know.
The Mohawk Indians were Indians of the Northeastern part of America. They were part of the Great Iroquois Confederation. Known as the Keepers of the Eastern Door, they guarded the Iroquois Confederation for hundreds of years against invasion from the East.
They were known as united and invincible. They stood shoulder to shoulder and brother to brother. In 1666, they were attacked by the French, and part of the negotiations was to allow Jesuit missionaries to come in amongst their people. Sometime around 1669, the Jesuit missionaries not only converted many of the people to their faith, but several years later, they took half of the Mohawk Nation and took them north into Canada where they erected two missions close to Montreal. On one hand, this seems harmless enough. On another, it was not so smart…unless one was trying to destroy the Mohawks from within.
So what does this have to do with the French and Indian war. When I was in school, I learned that the war was fought against the French and the Indians, who terrorized the colonists. But here”s the little known history, that isn”t even touched upon in most written accounts of the Iroquois.
The Mohawk Indians who were left in the Mohawk River Valley of upper State New York, were friends with and sided with the English during the French and Indian war. However, the Mohawk Indians who had been taken into Canada, sided with the French. This had the effect of pitting Mohawk brother against Mohawk brother, something the chiefs feared more than any enemy.
Then came the Revolutionary War. Most of the Iroquois Tribes sided with their allies, the English. But because the Colonies were fighting for Freedom, and because the Mohawk treasured freedom, many of the Mohawks sided with the Colonists. Again, Mohawk Brother was pitted against Mohawk Brother.
This, coming so close on the tail-end of the French and Indian War effectively destroyed the online casino unity of the Mohawks, who for so long had guarded the Iroquois against invasion in the East. Added onto this, the results of the Revolutionary War forced all of the Iroquois/Mohawk allies, as well as the enemies, of the Colonists to cede their lands to the Americans.
Interestingly, it was a corporation that took the lands of the Mohawk and Iroquois — at the time, I believe the corporation was headed by a man who was related to the President”s wife at the time of the undertaking. It has been many years since I did this research, so please forgive me for not knowing the name of that corporation, or the name of the man or wife.
So if I were a teacher, what might I ask was the lesson to be learned from this account of the Mohawk? What method of war was used upon them that eventually led to their downfall?
Wouldn”t it be the old trick of divide and conquer? There is an old, old, old book called THE ART OF WAR, which goes into how to employ the technique of divide and conquer without a people even knowing they were at war. There are many other methods of “winning” a war without firing a shot that are detailed in that book, as well.
Well, I hope you have enjoyed the blog today. I just find it interesting that this is such a little known bit of history, and yet is so major, that the fact that it is not known even in most history books, seems a little strange to me. For how are we, as a people, to ever learn from our mistakes if we much search and gather fact after fact to even put this information down to paper? And yet a very great nation of people — a people who treasured Freedom — failed. We should know why, I think.
On March 17th, THE ANGEL AND THE WARRIOR goes on sale as Tradepaper. Here is the link to read up about it: http://www.samhainpublishing.com/book/4964/the-angel-and-the-warrior
KAREN KAY aka GEN BAILEY is the multi-published author of American Indian Historical Romances. She has written for such prestigious publishers as AVON/HarperCollins, Berkley/Penguin/Putnam and Samhain Publishing. KAREN KAY’S great grandmother was Choctaw Indian and Kay is honored to be able to write about the American Indian Culture.
Please refer to https://petticoatsandpistols.com/sweepstakesrules for all contest rules.
Thanks Karen for this bit of History. I always enjoy your posts and love the chances to win your books. Was bad that they got divided. That is usually not a good thing. Just look how divided our country is today. Thanks.
Maxie > mac262(at)me(dot)com <
Hi Maxie!
You are so very, very welcome! And I thoroughly agree with you, not only as a nation, but as human beings. : )
I’ve only read a little bit about this time period in The Last of the Mohicans and Pamela Clare’s MacKinnon’s Rangers trilogy, Surrender, Untamed and Defiant. Scotsmen were impressed into the British army.
Thanks for the chance to read your book, LAKOTA SURRENDER.
Hi Laurie G!
The Last of the Mohicans is one of my favorites. Not familiar with the others, but I loved your comment.
I love learning little more about history. It is a fascinating topic. thanks also fro the chance to win your book.
debby236 at hotmail dot com
Hi DebraG!
You bet! Love giving away the books, actually. : )
Thanks for your post today. You always have something interesting to teach us.
Hi Janine!
Thank you so much! Appreciate your words.
I have been such a fan of your writing for years now. My favorite novel still remains War Cloud’s Passion. I am just now getting back into working on my own novel again that has been in the works for almost 16 years! Wow does time fly by when life happens! Time to get to moving with my writing! Thank you for being such a great inspiration.
Shyan Marie ~ Joy Smith
Hi Joy, Shyan!
It is wonderful to hear from you.! I can so totally understand how life happens — and takes you in other directions. Gosh, it’s just so good to hear from you!
I really enjoyed this post! My great-great-grandfather married a Mohawk woman, so it is interesting to me to read this post. I am working on genealogy on my dad’s side, so hopefully, I will find out more soon.
Thanks for posting this article.
Hi Kimberly,
So nice to read your message. How exciting that you are doing your genealogy. I went and looked at your picture and although the coloring probably isn’t the same, there are some things that can’t be hidden — like high cheekbones. : ) Beautiful!
I love your books and hope I can win the ebook in the giveaway.
Hi Debbie!
Thanks so much for your so welcome compliment. Does this heart of mine good. : )
I enjoyed reading this today.. I do like your cover..
Hi Deanna!
Thank you so much. I, too, adore these covers. They are amongst the best I’ve had, I think. : )
Hi Kay,
Glad to see you are continuing to pursue your interest in American History and writing. Mrs. Eaton and Mrs. Pickerel would be proud. You are right in your comments about “real” history not always be taught in the classroom. Sometimes that may be due to the lack of knowledge of the real facts or sometimes the teacher trying to cover too much in the short time they have. Thanks for sharing your research.
Steve
Hi Steve!
Wow! Thanks for coming to the blog and leaving a message. You know, through the years, I’ve often thought of Mrs. Eaton and Mrs. Pickerel — but I couldn’t remember Mrs.Pickerel’s name. It was in her class, of all things, that one of my science fiction stories came in 2nd place. I still remember that — and being surprised. She did a lot to get us writing, didn’t she. Please give my best to your wife and also to Cheryl. By the way, my husband was just recently traveling through our old stomping grounds. : ) I appreciate your keeping track of all of us from the same class.
Well, isn’t history usually written by winners? Lately I’ve been watching Terry Jones’ Barbarians (I would love to read the book, too). In that case, it’s the Romans whose views of history and other nations have been taught as truth for hundreds of years and it isn’t until fairly recently that this Roman view has been questioned.
Hi Minna!
Boy, isn’t that true? Good observation, and I couldn’t agree more.
Great article, K, and very relevant today! I love your recent covers, by the way. It’s rare to find REAL Native Americans gracing the covers of romance novels, so yours are a refreshing find. Best wishes on all of your releases, my friend!
Hi Glynnis!
Oh, my goodness, thank you for coming to the blog and leaving a comment. It’s true, isn’t it? It’s so refreshing to find real Native Americans on the covers of these Native American Historical Romances. And how is your own writing going, my extremely talented friend?
We should stay more in touch.
Love books on american history.
Hi Kim!
Me,too, I must admit!
That’s why I enjoy your books so much, all the research you’ve done to put the story together.
What’s… ‘tradepaper?’
Hi Melody!
Thanks so much for your compliments. You know, I’m not sure of the exact definition of Tradepaper, but I know it’s a hard copy of the book — but it’s kind of like a hard-cover book only in paperback…I think… I should find out…
Wow… I never realized that they were on two sides of some confrontations… thanks for sharing Karen!
Hi Colleen!
I know — not many people do know that. Or how they were “conquered.” It was really from within — divide and conquer — something I think we would all be wise to take note of.
very interesting post,,never too old to learn something and this is very informative post,,i love reading these stories that are part of our past history
Thank you so much,Vickie!
Like you, I love it when history comes alive — and when you find something like this and put it all together. Thanks so much!
Hello Kay! Another great post as usual! There should be more information out there on the American Indians but there isn’t. It is a shame…. We are so lucky to have you here to post information for us!
Oh, Lisa, you are so kind. It’s interesting, you know. When I first started writing historical romances, I was daunted by the research, until I really got into it and it came alive for me. I do think we should study real history though, because there is so much to learn.
I love learning about history and did not know this. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Yvonne!
Thank you so much! Me, too! I love learning about these things, only because it is so helpful to us as we go through life — to evaluate different situations and see the danger signals ahead of us.
Kayn another great post with superior information. We were so not taught in school what we need to know about the native tribes! Congratulations on the new release, another winner for sure. xoxox
Hi Tanya!
Thanks so much! And thanks for coming to the blog today — because I know you were a teacher, I know you can appreciate all of this, also. And I also know that you love the West and the Native American tirbes, also.
Thanks for the informative post! It’s been many a year since
I was in school, but I don’t remember much information given
us on this subject. BTW, love your spectacular covers!
Pat C.
Oh,Pat, thank you so much. I didn’t learn any of this in school, either, and I didn’t particularly like history… Aren’t those covers beautiful? I do love them!
Once again I so enjoyed your blog. The history lessons we receive are so interesting. Thank you!
Hi Connie J!
Thank you so very, very much!
Karen, I enjoyed reading about the history of the Mohawk and French and Indian war!! Also love reading your blogs about different Indian tribes!! Thankyou for a chance to win this e-book!!
Hi Arlene!
Thank you so much! And thanks for your comment!
This is an interesting look into our history and Native Americans in our history.
Thank you also for the giveaway.
Hi Shirley!
Thanks so much for your reply and for coming to the blog today! : )
I love reading about almost all types of history and I found the information you shared very interesting. I used to read Cassie Edward’s Indian romances years ago. I don’t know is she even writes any more. I would love to have a chance to read your book, it sounds great !
Hi Deanne!
I love Cassie’s books, also. And like you, I find this kind of information fascinating. Thanks for coming to the blog today. : )
Even today, the Mohawk nation is divided to a degree. The reservation is on the American- Canadian border with adjoining sections in each country. They can move freely across the border within the reservation, considering a single unit.
In many cases, we forget that indians fought on both sides of the French and Indian War. I grew up not far from there and never really considered the split loyalties of the tribes.
Thanks for another tweak to the history we were taught.
Hi Patricia!
Thanks for your fascinating information and your perspective on this, also. The compliment, coming from you, is quite wonderful! : )