PEOPLES member of Native North American people: a member of a Native North American people who originally occupied lands in North Carolina, and whose members now live mainly in New York State and Ontario. In 1722 the Tuscarora joined the Iroquois Confederacy, which then became known as the Six Nations. [Mid-17th century.

From Iroquois, literally "hemp gatherer."]

Encarta® World English Dictionary [North American Edition] © & (P) 2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Developed for Microsoft by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.

Iroquois

Important confederacy of indigenous peoples of the Iroquoian language family and of the Eastern Woodlands culture area. It was founded in the 16th century in what is now central New York State. The original confederacy consisted of five tribes—the Mohawk, Onondaga, Cayuga, Oneida, and Seneca—and was known as the Five Nations, or the League of Five Nations.

Sometime between 1715 and 1722, however, the Tuscaroras, an Iroquoian tribe originally of North Carolina, which had migrated to New York, was formally admitted to the confederacy, and the name of the league was changed to the Six Nations, or the League of Six Nations. As representative members of the Iroquoian family, and the ones first encountered and later most intensively studied by white people, the Iroquois gave their name to the family of which they are a part.

from: "Iroquois," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001 http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Tuscarora/Indian Wars

English expansion up Virginia's rivers continued until 1675-1676, when the war with Native Americans that is associated with Bacon's Rebellion erupted. This war was caused by a series of misunderstandings and acts of local aggression. In the end, the Native Americans were defeated. Native peoples in the Tidewater area never regained their earlier power, but in the interior and farther south, periodic wars broke out, for instance, between British settlers and the Tuscarora in North Carolina (1711-1713).

from: "Indian Wars," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001 http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Tuscara War

For an article on the Tuscara War (1711-1733), please visit the M-files site

The Tuscarora & Six Nations Website contains lots of information and links about the 'Six Nations'