Maryland 2nd blog

In the Chesapeake Region of Colonial America, most of the Native groups descended from the Algonquian Indian tribe. Offshoots of the Algonquian tribe included: 1. Susquehannock Indians, 2. Piscataway Indians 3. Wiccomiss Indians.

Some other Indians of the area were relatives of the Iroquois Indians.


The Europeans in the Chesapeake region were largely traders with great business interests in the area. To help the achieve financial success, the settlers employed the indigenous Indians who had intimate knowledge of the land to accentuate potential profit.

An important case study involved the issue of Kent Island. The island became the first European settlement in the colony of Maryland. William Claiborne, the secretary of state of Virginia, led the way in the settlement of Kent Island. . Maryland, the territory granted to the Calvert family, who claimed that the island was part of the newly created Maryland colony.

Claiborne established the first settlement on Kent Island in 1631. The island represented a great point of trade. Some of the industries derived from Kent Island were the lucrative beaver pelt trade, along with the island's tobacco crop. Primary trading partners for the Virginians were the Susquehannock Indians, with whom they did much business. As a show of good faith, Claiborne purchased Kent Island form the Susquehannock for the equivalent of the pay for two days labor of an average worker. By 1638, about 120 men, women , and children lived on Kent Island.

Problems arose when the Calvert family staked their claim to Kent Island as being in Maryland territory. In 1632, the Calvert family was granted the colony of Maryland, much to the chagrin of the Virginians. As a result of this, Kent Island became a major point of contention between the two colonies.





Sources:

Internet:

Essortment: Information on the Susquehannock Indians
http://www.essortment.com/all/susquehannockin_rjon.htm

Kent Island
http://www.mdoe.org/kentisland.html

Book:

Colonial Chesapeake Society
edited by Carr, Morgan, and Russo
published for The Institute of Early American History and Culture, Williamsburg Virginia