Strategic Middlemen: Monongahela, Mohawk, and Meskwaki Settlements in a Trade Landscape
STRATEGIC MIDDLEMEN: MONONGAHELA, MOHAWK, AND MESKWAKI SETTLEMENTS IN A TRADE LANDSCAPE By Emma Elizabeth Bremer Submitted to the Faculty of The Archaeological Program Department of Sociology and Archaeology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science University of Wisconsin-La Crosse 2012 Copyright © 2012 by Emma Elizabeth Bremer All Rights Reserved ii STRATEGIC MIDDLEMEN: MONONGAHELA, MOHAWK, AND MESKWAKI SETTLEMENTS IN A TRADE LANDSCAPE Emma Elizabeth Bremer, B.S. University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, 2012 North America was home to a vast set of trade networks both prehistorically and historically. In several instances key passages within these networks were controlled by societies who acted as middlemen. This position allowed them to command great power and wealth, which created tension with their neighbors and trade partners. This study examines how the Monongahela of the upper Ohio River valley (A.D. 1100-1635), the Mohawk of the Mohawk valley (A.D. 1525- 1776), and the Meskwaki of the Fox River Passage (A.D. 1665-1730) settled within their territories and how these decisions may have reflected considerations including subsistence, control of routes, and defense. iii Acknowledgements First and foremost, I would like to thank my readers, Dr. Constance Arzigian and Dr. David Anderson for their constant support and guidance. I would also like to thank the members of my reading group, Cindy Kocik and Caitlin Larson, as well as my family, roommates, and friends for supporting me through this long process and providing much needed help with editing. Last, but not least I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Dr.
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