Delaware Tribe
Miami Tribe
Ottawa Tribe
Seneca Nation
Shawnee Tribe
Wyandot Tribe
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Delaware Tribe

Similar to the Shawnee, the Delaware Tribe, also known as the Leni Lenape, were Algonquians and therefore had a lot in common with the Shawnee. The Delaware Tribe was originally from modern-day New Jersey and Delaware. They came to Ohio around 1700, settling there as Europeans were arriving on the East Coast and forcing tribes away from the area. When they came to Ohio, some settled along the Muskingum River, and some settled along the Auglaize River. Though they were separated, they fought together against the Iroquois and with the Shawnee against the settlers. However, some eventually became close with the French due to the fur trade, and the tribe became divided again during the American Revolution. When the Americans won, they defeated the Delaware and forced them to resettle elsewhere.

Miami Tribe

The Miami Tribe is the other main Algonquian tribe from Ohio, closely related to the Shawnee, Delaware and Ottawa. They arrived in Ohio in 1700, having already claimed land in many different areas around the region in Indiana, Illinois and Michigan. It’s easy to see why they were considered the strongest tribe in Ohio.

The Miami Tribe learned how to survive by developing close relationships with French and British traders when it made sense for them, trading their valuable furs for goods like gunpowder. During the French and Indian war, they joined up with the French until they were defeated. Then, they allied with the British because like other Native American tribes, they were afraid of white American settlers taking their land. This, of course, is eventually what happened, and the Miami Tribe was also moved out of Ohio, today being recognized in Oklahoma and Indiana.

Ottawa Tribe

The Miami Tribe is the other main Algonquian tribe from Ohio, closely related to the Shawnee, Delaware and Ottawa. They arrived in Ohio in 1700, having already claimed land in many different areas around the region in Indiana, Illinois and Michigan. It’s easy to see why they were considered the strongest tribe in Ohio.

The Miami Tribe learned how to survive by developing close relationships with French and British traders when it made sense for them, trading their valuable furs for goods like gunpowder. During the French and Indian war, they joined up with the French until they were defeated. Then, they allied with the British because like other Native American tribes, they were afraid of white American settlers taking their land. This, of course, is eventually what happened, and the Miami Tribe was also moved out of Ohio, today being recognized in Oklahoma and Indiana.

Seneca Nation

The Seneca were the largest of six Native American nations which comprised the Iroquois Confederacy or Six Nations, a democratic government that pre-dates the United States Constitution.

The historical Seneca occupied territory throughout the Finger Lakes area in Central New York, and in the Genesee Valley in Western New York, living in longhouses on the riversides. The villages were well fortified with wooden stake fences, just one of the many industrious undertakings.

The Seneca came to Ohio around the 1740s and 1750s from upstate New York around the time of the Beaver Wars, ultimately leaving the Iroquois Confederacy.

Today the Seneca Nation currently has a total enrolled population of over 8,000 citizens. The Seneca Nation supports its own people and benefits surrounding communities with a variety of cultural, educational and economic efforts.

Shawnee Tribe

The Shawnee Tribe was one of the largest tribes in Ohio. It’s believed that the Shawnee were ancestors of the Fort Ancient peoples who were in Ohio before the Iroquois came, tracing back to around the 1600s. Many were driven out, but when the Iroquois became weaker, those remaining moved back in. They were recognized for their bold resistance to the Europeans and then later the Americans. In fact, the name “Tecumseh” might stick out as someone about whom you learned in primary school, for he was a prominent individual who fought against the white settlers for the tribe.

From the Shawnees, we can learn a lot about how various Native American tribes lived in Ohio. For instance, if you’ve ever wondered about the homes in which the Shawnee lived, their style of home was called a “longhouse” and could hold many families in one unit. The Shawnees speak the Algonquian language. After being forcibly removed from Ohio, today their headquarters is in Oklahoma. However, there is a group in Ohio known as “United Remnant Band of the Shawnee Nation” that is not recognized by the state.

Wyandot Tribe

The Wyandot Tribe of Ohio was yet another tribe whose fate was determined by the powerful Iroquois despite the fact that they were related to them. Originally from the Huron Tribe in Ontario, Canada, the Wyandot Tribe moved forcibly into Ohio around 1740 after the Iroquois pushed them out. Though they were from a family of tribes that spoke Wyandot and Iroquois, they had close relationships with other tribes in the area like the Shawnee. Similar to the Miami Tribe, they became close with French and British traders until the British took power, at which point they allied with them to fight against the Americans. Even though the Wyandot Tribe was remembered as being strong warriors, they were defeated by General Anthony Wayne. However, they were the last remaining Native American tribe of this capacity in Ohio. Today, the Wyandot tribes are recognized in Canada, Michigan, Kansas and Oklahoma.