We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Native American

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Is the Mohawk Reservation?

By Rebecca Mecomber
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 7,656
References
Share

The Mohawk Indians are a group of native Americans indigenous to what is now central New York state. They are one of the original Five Nations of the ancient Iroquois League and one of many of the remaining native tribes in the United States. The Mohawk Reservation, also known as the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation or by its Mohawk name, Akwesasne, is a small reservation in Franklin County, New York. It is one of several reservations in upstate New York, along with the Oneida and Onondaga reservations.

According to 2000 U.S. Census data, the population of the 14,500-acre Mohawk Reservation a little less than 3,000 residents. The Mohawk Reservation contains the villages of St. Regis and Hogansburg in northern New York state, near the Canadian border along the St. Lawrence Seaway. Disputes over tribal law and state and federal laws have been contested almost since the ink of the Treaty of Canandaigua was dried. Since New York State passed casino gambling laws in the 1980s, the Mohawk Reservation had built the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino and Mohawk Bingo Palace as of 2011.

Sometime before the year 1600, the Mohawk tribe and the Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca, Cayuga and later the Tuscarora tribes formed an alliance to defend each other during war and to promote peace amongst the tribes. The Mohawks, from which the mighty Mohawk River in central New York state is named, settled along the eastern border of the confederacy and were considered "keepers of the eastern door." They guarded the eastern portion of what is now the Mohawk Valley in New York state from invasions from fierce New England tribes and the Algonquians of the south.

Following in the footsteps of the other Iroquois tribes — except the Oneida — the Mohawks joined the British against the Americans in the American Revolutionary War. Led by charismatic Mohawk chieftain Thayendanegea — or Joseph Brant, his English name — the Mohawks savagely massacred small settlements along the Mohawk Valley trail from Cherry Valley to Oriskany, New York. Defeated by the Americans, the Mohawks, along with other British-allied Indian tribes, were stripped of their ancestral lands. These tribes fled for Canada, only to return to sign the Treaty of Canandaigua that promoted peace between the U.S. and the former Iroquois Confederacy.

Share
America Explained is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Link to Sources
Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.americaexplained.org/what-is-the-mohawk-reservation.htm
Copy this link
America Explained, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

America Explained, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.