The Last of the Mohicans
A Narrative of 1757

by James Fenimore Cooper

FOREWORD (By the Editors of this site)

James Fenimore Cooper's 1826 novel, The Last of the Mohicans contains several instances where Native Americans are referred to as "savages". Our inclusion of the story on this web site in no way constitutes an endorsement of the views and opinions of the author. The story remains a classic of literature and a fact-based account of the life of Native Americans and their dealings with the European colonists.

Another reason we have chosen to feature this story on our site is the historical relationship between the Mohican and Mohawk; the Mohican had been the victims of several attacks by the conquering Mohawk tribe, their neighbors to the south of the Hudson River Valley.

Although the Mohican had formed an alliance with the Dutch colonists, but after 6 soldiers died during a raid, the Mohican were left to fend for themselves, and were soon defeated by the invaders who forced them to abandon their villages on the western side of the Hudson.

Eventually, the Dutch were also forced to relocate to more hostile territory, where they became reluctant to trade rifles for furs with the Natives, for fear of eventual attacks. Swedish settlers on the other hand, had no qualms about trading weapons and soon enough, tribes such as the Susquehannock, who had been trading beaver furs with the Swedes and other European colonists had so many firearms, they even owned a canon.

In order to restore a balance of power, the Dutch were forced to start trading in weapons again. Eventually, the Mohawk and the Mohican, who were both well-equipped in rifles, set up a truce in order to jointly raid small settlements to expand their hunting grounds. But the temporary truce did not last, and the Mohawk resumed their raids on the Mohican, until they were almost completely driven out of the Hudson River Valley.

The Mohican surrendered to the Iroquois Nations, and became the first members of the "Covenant Chain", a protective trade alliance between the Iroquois, the European settlers, and the tribes they had conquered.

James Fenimore Cooper's Last of the Mohicans made the tribe famous, but ironically led its readers to believe the tribe had ceased to exist. Nothing could be further from the truth as there are currently over 1,500 descendents of the Mohicans (The Stockbrige Indians) currently living in Wisconsin.

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Last modified: December 15, 2004

The Last of the Mohicans A Narrative of 1757 by James Fenimore Cooper

The Last of the Mohicans
A Narrative of 1757

by James Fenimore Cooper