During the 17th century, English colonists founded the first permanent settlements on the Eastern Shore of what was to become the United States. The American Indians, the indigenous population, had already lived on the land for hundreds of years. With the arrival of the colonists, their world was about to change forever. War with the colonists and each other, lack of immunity to diseases such as smallpox, the inability to control their consumption of alcohol and English progression into their lands would almost decimate the Indian population by the end of the century. (see 1675 and 1715 maps)
While it is not possible here to write about every tribe found in the southeastern colonies, I have tried to provide information on the major tribal communities found in Virginia.
Algonquian (Powhatan Confederacy)
When Jamestown was established in 1607, Chief Powhatan (his proper name was Wahunsonacock) had recently brought over 30 Algonquian tribes under his control. (see list). His confederacy extended along the eastern Virginia seaboard and ran to the west through Washington DC, then south to Fredericksburg, Richmond, Petersburg and then running back east to North Carolina. Thanks to John Smith, Chief Powhatan and his daughter Pocahontas, the Algonquians are perhaps the most popular Indians in American History.
Powhatan entertained thoughts of wiping out the English colonists at Jamestown, but his awe of English weapons and the marriage of Pocahontas to John Rolfe put to rest that idea. Powhatan died in 1618 to be replaced by Opechancanough. In 1622, the Powhatans led a massacre that left up to 400 colonists dead. In retaliation, the colonists set out on a campaign to exterminate the Indians. In 1644, Opechancanough again attacked the colonists, killing between 300 to 500 Virginians. Once again, the colonists retaliated, this time against the Pamunkey and Chickahominy tribes. War was waged until 1646 when a treaty was signed, marking the first instance of permanent acquisition of Indian land by the colonists.
The process of driving out any unwanted tribes continued throughout the rest of the 17th century. Nathaniel Bacon, after his quest to fight the Susquehanna in 1676, turned his attention to the Pamunkey. After attacking their main settlement, a treaty was signed by the remains of Powhatan's Confederacy, granting their allegiance to the English king. Most historians consider this treaty of 1677 to effectively end the Indian Period in Virginia's colonial history.
It has been estimated that in the beginning of the 17th century, there were 9,000 Powhatan Indians living in Virginia. By 1669, Powhatan's census estimates only 2,000. By 1705, the population was closer to 1,200.
Iroquoian
The Iroquoian tribes (and the Siouan tribes) had less contact with the English and,
