MARYLAND – The territory now known as Maryland, particularly the vast waterways of the Chesapeake Bay, has been home to diverse Indigenous communities for over 10,000 years. At the time of European contact in the early 17th century, the landscape was primarily populated by peoples of the Algonquian language family, with distinct groups occupying the Western Shore, the Eastern Shore, and the mountainous areas to the west.
The Indigenous Peoples of Maryland: Stewards of the Chesapeake
The Native Nations of this region were adept at utilizing the resources of the Bay and its tributaries, leading lives centered on fishing, hunting, and agriculture.
Major Tribal Nations and Cultural Groups
The pre-contact Indigenous population of Maryland can be broadly categorized into two major linguistic groups:
1. Algonquian-Speaking Tribes (Chesapeake Bay Region)
The majority of tribes encountered by early European explorers, such as Captain John Smith, spoke Algonquian languages. Their cultures were strongly tied to the water.
- Piscataway (Conoy): This was a paramount chiefdom or “nation” on the Western Shore, particularly along the Potomac River. They were politically dominant in the area that now includes Southern Maryland and Washington, D.C., with smaller bands paying them allegiance. They are a prominent state-recognized tribe today.
- Nanticoke: Located primarily on the Eastern Shore along the Nanticoke River and the Delmarva Peninsula. They were known to be skilled traders and maintained complex ceremonial and religious practices.
- Choptank: Another important Algonquian group on the Eastern Shore (modern-day Dorchester, Talbot, and Caroline Counties). They were the only Indigenous group granted a reservation by the Maryland colonial government, though the land was later sold in 1822.
- Assateague, Pocomoke, and Accohannock: Tribes that lived along the lower Eastern Shore, adapting to coastal environments and marshlands.
2. Iroquoian and Siouan Influences…