Iroquois

• The Iroquois were a confederation of tribes also known as the Five Nations, founded around 1570. Among the tribes were the Cayuga, Seneca, Mohawk, Onondaga and the Oneida. In 1722, they became known as the Six Nations, with the admission of the Tuscarora. Each of these tribes were composed of several clans and a member's kinship was traced solely through female bloodlines. Over the course of European settlement, the Iroquois became, with few exceptions, allies of the English and enemies of the French. Most of the tribes fought on the English side during the American Revolution. At war's end, those who were allied with the English were resettled in Canada, while those still in the United States were eventually moved to the areas of New York and Wisconsin, with a small number settling in what is now Oklahoma.
  
  

Ottawa

• "Ottawa" is a Native American term that means "to buy and sell" or "to trade." The name was given to them because they traded in items such as cornmeal, tobacco, furs and medicinal herbs. They were governed by many chiefs, who ruled their own districts. Over the course of European settlement, the Ottawa became allies and friends of the French. In the mid-1600s, the Iroquois rose up against them and sent them fleeing to the islands near Green Bay. From there, groups split off and moved to other areas nearby. Small portions of the tribe eventually resettled in Canadian territory, while the rest live in Kansas, Michigan and Oklahoma.
  
  

Shawnee

• The Shawnee were originally from the area that includes Ohio and Pennsylvania. They were a migratory tribe and lived as far northeast as New York to as far south as Georgia at different times in their history. Many of their migrations can be attributed to problems with both the Iroquois and some of the European colonists. Despite an attempt to unite the tribe with others in the eastern states, they were eventually relocated forcibly by the American government to Oklahoma, where they still live.
  
  

Delaware

• The Delaware were a confederacy of tribes that lived in what is now Delaware, New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania and southern New York. They referred to themselves as "Lenape," meaning "real men." Their confederacy was composed of three principal tribes, the Unami, the Munsee and the Unalachtigo. Around 1720, the Delaware began having troubles with the Iroquois and some of the white settlers. These circumstances led them to move into other areas, eventually settling into eastern Ohio. After consolidating themselves with other tribes, they were better able to stand up to the Iroquois and assert their independence. In the late 1700s, they migrated into other areas and by the mid-1800s, the Delaware tribes had split into several bands that can now be found in Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma.