The Wampanoag Tribe

       The Wampanoag tribe is a community of Native Americans who, at one time, occupied much of southeastern Massachusetts, the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, and western Cape Cod.

In the early 1600s, before many European settlers began colonizing the present day United States, there are estimated to have been 12,000 people belonging to this community. The Wampanoag lived in villages spread throughout the region, and hunted and farmed for their livelihoods. Fishing and whaling were also part of early Wampanoag life.

       The Wampanoag people emigrated with the seasons. During warmer months, they lived by the shore, planting food, including corn, and fishing. When the weather changed and they could no longer farm, they moved inland and set up small camps of family groups. These small groups spread out and hunted the land surrounding their camps.

       The name “Wampanoag” refers to an entire community of Native Americans, and comprised several dozen sub-tribes. The only sub-tribe of Wampanoag that is a Federally Recognized tribe is the “Wampanoag of Gay Head”. This sub-tribe has lived on Martha’s Vineyard for over 10,000 years. Other sub-tribes are known to have existed historically, and some are still trying to become Federally Recognized. Most sub-tribes have completely disappeared because every member of the tribe died or was killed.

       Wampanoag leaders were known as sachems, and the title was passed through family lines, including to women if no male could claim the title. The leaders had the respect of others in the tribe, but worked with the rest of the community and did not have special privileges attached to their title, and they did not command others. The Wampanoag tribe also had a Grand Sachem, who provided leadership for the entire tribe. When war began with the English settlers, the Grand Sachem King Phillip organized warriors from all over the region, including tribes that were not were not part of the Wampanoag people.

       From 1614-1620, diseases that arrived with early European colonists swept through the region, and some destroyed whole villages. By 1620, there were only about 5,000 Wampanoag people. Over half of them had been killed by disease.

taken from: http://www.abcteach.com/free/r/rc_native_wampanoag_upperelem.pdf