Lesson 14:The Oneidas

Level: S
DRA: 40
Genre:
Narrative Nonfiction
Strategy:
Summarize
Skill:
Sequence of Events
Word Count: 1,428
The
Oneidas
5.3.14
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN
Online Leveled Books
ISBN-13:978-0-547-02570-4
ISBN-10:0-547-02570-X
by Audrey Stansbury
1032499
H O UG H T O N M IF F L IN
The
Oneidas
by Audrey Stansbury
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS: Cover The New York Public Library/Art Resource, NY. Title page Courtesy National Museum of
the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution. Photo by Walter Larrimore. 3 The Granger Collection, New York. 5 Photodisc/
Getty. 8 The New York Public Library/Art Resource, NY. 10 Painting by Don Troiani, www.historicalimagebank.com.
11 © Lee Snider/Photo Images/CORBIS. 12 Courtesy National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution.
Photo by Walter Larrimore. 14 Karl Weatherly/Getty Images.
Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying or recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system without the prior written permission of the
copyright owner unless such copying is expressly permitted by federal copyright law. With the exception of nonprofit
transcription into Braille, Houghton Mifflin is not authorized to grant permission for further uses of this work. Permission
must be obtained from the individual copyright owner as identified herein. Address requests for permission to make copies
of Houghton Mifflin material to School Permissions, Houghton Mifflin Company, 222 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116.
Printed in China
ISBN-13: 978-0-547-02570-4
ISBN-10: 0-547-02570-X
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Table of Contents
Introduction
3
The People of the Standing Stone
5
The People of the Long House
6
Caught in the Middle
7
The Battles of Fort Stanwix and Oriskany
9
Saratoga: A Decisive Victory
11
Valued Allies
11
After the War
13
Conclusion
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Introduction
During the winter of 1777, members of the
Continental Congress gathered for a meeting.
There, American leaders made a special promise.
This promise was made to the first group of people
to fight alongside the colonists in the Revolutionary
War. This group had already helped the colonists
win important victories against the British.
The grateful Congress promised, “While the
sun and moon continue to give light to the world,
we shall love and respect
you. As our trusty friends,
we shall protect you.”
Who were these friends
whom the Congress
promised to respect and
protect? They were the
Oneidas, an American
Indian nation.
The Continental Congress
met regularly during the
Revolutionary War.
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The Americans had a good reason to feel
grateful. The Oneidas had joined the ranks of
the American army. They had fought alongside
the colonists in their struggle against the
British. The Oneidas’ bravery helped win
important battles.
But after the war, the Congress did not
keep its promise of friendship and protection.
The Oneidas’ vital contributions to America’s
freedom were largely forgotten. The Indian
nation suffered greatly.
This is the story of the Oneidas, forgotten
heroes of the Revolutionary War.
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The People of the Standing Stone
The Oneidas called themselves “the People of
the Standing Stone.” They lived in North America
for many hundreds of years before Europeans
arrived. They inhabited about six million acres.
Their lands were located in what is now New York
State and northern Pennsylvania.
In Oneida villages, women grew squash, corn,
and beans. They also gathered firewood and
raised children. Men hunted and fished. Food was
shared among the entire community.
Oneida Clans
The Oneida Nation was made up of three
different clans, or groups—Bear, Turtle,
and Wolf. The animal symbol of each clan
represented a different trait that Oneida culture
valued. The Bear represented gentleness and
strength. The Turtle
stood for patience and
persistence. The Wolf
represented strong
family ties.
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The People of the Long House
The Oneidas belonged to a group of five
Indian nations—Mohawk, Onondaga, Cayuga,
Seneca, and Oneida. These five nations protected
each other from outside enemies. They settled
internal disagreements through discussion.
Together, they called themselves “the People of the
Long House.” European settlers called them the
“Iroquois (IR uh kwoi) League.”
By banding together, the five nations became
powerful. They were able to protect their lands.
They also dealt successfully with European
settlers. Beginning in the 1600s, they made treaties
with Dutch, French, and British colonists.
The People of the Long House controlled a large
area of land in what is now New York State.
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Caught in the Middle
When the Revolutionary War began, the
People of the Long House found themselves
in a difficult position. They were caught
between the colonists and the British. Both
groups wanted the five nations’ skilled
warriors to fight for their side.
For a long time, the Oneidas and the other
Indian nations remained neutral. But eventually,
they were forced to choose a side.
People of the Mohawk, Onondaga, Cayuga,
and Seneca nations favored the British. There
were several reasons. The British promised to
respect their lands. They also gave them
European provisions, such as muskets,
ammunition, and cloth.
But the Oneidas felt loyal to their American
friends. As a people who valued freedom, the
Oneidas understood why the colonists were
fighting. They sympathized with the Americans’
desire to break free from British rule.
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After much discussion, the Oneidas decided
to fight for the Americans. The other nations
decided to fight for the British. These decisions
split the People of the Long House. The split had
tragic consequences. In the Revolutionary War,
the Oneidas found themselves fighting against
brother warriors from the Mohawk, Onondaga,
Cayuga, and Seneca nations.
Two Great Warriors
Skenandoah was an influential
Oneida warrior known for his
intelligence and courage. In 1775,
he met with General George
Washington to discuss the
colonists’ struggle against the
British. Washington later noted
that Skenandoah was “an Oneida
Chief of considerable Rank”
whose nation “ha[d] been very
friendly to the Cause of the
United Colonies.” Skenandoah’s
meeting with Washington
strengthened the Oneidas’
friendship with the Americans.
Skenandoah
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The Battles of Fort Stanwix and Oriskany
By the summer of 1777, the Oneidas had
officially joined the American side. But the war
was not going well for the colonists. The British
had just captured Fort Ticonderoga, an American
base in northeastern New York.
Then in mid-July, an Oneida warrior known as
Thomas Sinavis arrived at American army
headquarters. He had just returned from a secret
scouting mission in Canada. He had been spying
on British troops stationed there.
In Canada, Sinavis learned valuable information
about British war plans. He told the Americans that
the British were going to
attack Fort Stanwix, an
CANADA
important American
stronghold in New York.
Sinavis had also learned
Lake Ontario
the exact date of the
Fort
Stanwix
planned British attack.
NEW YORK
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Sinavis strongly urged the Americans to fight.
“Now is your time, brothers… defend and save
your country before it is too late,” he said.
The Americans listened to Sinavis’s advice.
When the British attacked the fort, they were
ready. Many Oneida warriors fought, too. They
helped drive off the British and save Fort Stanwix.
Oneidas also fought at the bloody Battle
of Oriskany on August 6, 1777. Han Yerry
Tewahangarahken, a warrior of the Wolf clan, was
one of the heroes at Oriskany. Even after he was
shot, Han Yerry kept fighting, using his tomahawk
with great dexterity. His wife and son also fought
in the battle.
The Oneidas
fought bravely
alongside the
Americans at the
Battle of Oriskany.
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Saratoga: A Decisive Victory
In the fall of 1777, Oneida
warriors fought at the Battle of
Saratoga. This was a decisive
American victory. Saratoga
turned the tide of the war in
the colonists’ favor.
Oneidas were involved in
many aspects of this victory.
They captured prisoners and
Battle of Saratoga
spied on the enemy. They also
Monument
conducted surprise attacks on
British forces. These raids terrified enemy
troops. The constant threat of Oneida attacks
made it hard for the British to get much-needed
supplies.
Valued Allies
Throughout the war, the Oneidas supported
the Americans. They fought in many battles.
They went on dangerous scouting missions.
American commanders valued the Oneidas for
their courage, knowledge, and honesty.
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Polly Cooper
The winter of 1777–1778 was long and hard. George
Washington’s troops were camped at Valley Forge,
Pennsylvania, where they had little food.
In April 1778, a group of Oneidas traveled more
than 250 miles to Valley Forge. They brought corn for
the hungry Americans. An Oneida known as Polly
Cooper made a nourishing corn soup for the soldiers.
General Washington and
the troops were very grateful
to Polly Cooper for her
generous act. In thanks,
Washington’s wife, Martha,
gave Polly a beautiful shawl.
The shawl still exists today.
This statue honors the Oneidas’
role in the Revolutionary War.
The statue is in the Museum of
the American Indian in
Washington, D.C.
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After the War
When the Oneidas returned home after the
war, they found devastation. Their villages had
been destroyed. Their families were scattered.
But the worst was still to come. The Oneidas
were poor and vulnerable, and many people
wanted their valuable land. Dishonest state
government officials misled the Oneidas and
cheated them out of their property. First, officials
would offer to rent Oneida land. Then, after the
Oneidas had agreed, the officials would claim
that they had actually bought the land.
The Oneidas asked the federal government
for help in recovering their stolen land. But their
requests were ignored. Gradually, the Oneidas
were forced out of their homeland. Many
resettled in Wisconsin and Canada.
For centuries, the Oneida homeland had
covered some six million acres. By the early 1900s,
the Oneidas controlled only 32 acres of the land
that had originally belonged to them.
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Conclusion
For two centuries, the Oneidas’ heroism was
nearly forgotten. However, the Indian nation has
recently received new recognition. Public
gatherings at Revolutionary War battlefields have
celebrated the Oneidas’ important role.
The Oneidas stepped forward at a critical
moment in American history. Their courage
helped the United States win its independence.
Long ago, America’s leaders promised, “While the
sun and moon continue to give light to the world,
we shall love and respect you.” Today, that
friendship is finally being honored again.
Returning Home
Today, some Oneidas are
returning home. Leaders of
the Indian nation have bought
several thousand acres that
were once Oneida homeland
in New York State. There, they
have built housing, a health
clinic, and a thriving cultural
center.
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Responding
Sequence of Events By the
early 1900s, the Oneidas had lost almost all of their
land. What sequence of events led to the loss of
their land? Copy and complete the chart below.
TARGET SKILL
Event: The Oneidas returned home after the war
and found that their villages had been destroyed.
Event:
?
Event: The Oneidas were forced to resettle in
Wisconsin and Canada.
Write About It
Text to World The People of the Long House held
discussions to settle their internal disagreements.
Think of rules you know for settling disagreements.
Write a paragraph explaining those rules.
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TARGET VOCABULARY
apprentice
dexterity
aspects
influential
authorities
persuade
bondage
provisions
contributions
tentative
TARGET SKILL Sequence of Events Identify the
time order in which events take place.
TARGET STRATEGY Summarize Briefly tell the
important parts of the text in your own words.
GENRE Narrative Nonfiction gives factual information
by telling a true story.
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Level: S
DRA: 40
Genre:
Narrative Nonfiction
Strategy:
Summarize
Skill:
Sequence of Events
Word Count: 1,428
The
Oneidas
5.3.14
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN
Online Leveled Books
ISBN-13:978-0-547-02570-4
ISBN-10:0-547-02570-X
by Audrey Stansbury
1032499
H O UG H T O N M IF F L IN