Description:
The period between the American Revolution and the middle nineteenth century dramatically changed New York State and the Iroquois. Upstate metropolises--Utica, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo--were founded and soon witnessed a phenomenal growth, making New York State one of the fastest-growing regions in the country. This development led to the displacement of the Iroquois. Initially, state officials attempted to force the Indians west. In his book, Laurence M. Hauptman shows how state transportation interests, land speculating companies, and national defense policies worked to undermine the Iroquois. When forced removal of the Indians failed, Albany officials pushed for jurisdiction over the Indians, including attempts to tax them.
Hauptman goes beyond simply recounting the tragedy that befell the Indians in New York. He includes memoirs and letters of gazetteers, travelers' accounts, tribal records, personal correspondence, and Indian petitions to Albany and Washington--eloquent documents that reveal a rich culture in crisis.Review Quotes: Conspiracy is an appropriate word to describe what went on in the state of New York during the first half of the 19th century. As early as the 1790s, politicians coordinated efforts with entrepreneurial groups to separate the Six Nations of the Iroquois League from their tribal lands. . . . Hauptman, a recognized authority on the Iroquois, continues where his earlier books left off, and he especially draws attention to the questionable 'state treaties' of the 1780s and 1790s. With a critical eye on the documentary evidence and an artful pen for relating the story, he brings the complicated tale to a level that can be understood and appreciated by a broad reading audience.-- "Choice"