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The Mohegan tribe was founded by Uncas after breaking away from the Pequot tribe in the 1600s. They formed an alliance with white settlers and remained allies of the British. In the 18th century, many Mohegan members converted to Christianity and founded a Christian Indian school. The Mohegan Tribe received federal recognition in 1994 and settled land claims with Connecticut. They have a constitution and are governed by a democratically elected Tribal Council and Council of Elders. The tribe has a large gaming resort called Mohegan Sun, which provides employment for many of the tribe and supports their housing and other needs. They also donate to schools, hospitals, and other community services.
In 1620, when the Pilgrims arrived in New England, the Pequot tribe was located near the Thames River in Connecticut. The Pequots were under the leadership of a sachem, or chieftain named Sassacus. There was a rebellion in the tribe led by an underchief named Uncas about how to respond to European settlement. Uncas broke with Piquet and led his followers to another village where he founded the Mohegan Native American tribe. Uncas formed an alliance with white settlers and, after the defeat of the Pequots in the Pequot War of 1637, became leader of both the Mohegan and the remaining Pequots.
Like other northern natives, the Mohegan tribe lived along the water in wigwams and longhouses built of bark-covered posts. They hunted, fished, ranched, and traveled in birchbark canoes. They remained allies of the British against the French and managed to hold on to their land and autonomy longer than many of their neighbors, but eventually much of their land was taken over by white settlers.
In the eighteenth century, many Mohegan members converted to Christianity. Samson Occum was one of the first Indians to become an ordained Christian minister. He founded a Christian Indian school and spent some time in England raising funds from the king and other patrons to support the organization. He returned to the colonies only to find that his school had been taken over and moved to New Hampshire, where it eventually became Dartmouth College.
In 1827 the federal government demanded the transfer of all uncivilized and non-Christian tribes to the Western Territories. One legacy that Samson Occum bequeathed to his people was the reputation of being a Christian tribe. To enforce this, three tribal women founded the Mohegan Church and the Mohegan tribe was exempt from forced resettlement.
The Mohegan Tribe received federal recognition as an independent nation in 1994 and eventually settled its land claims with Connecticut. The nation has a constitution and is governed by a democratically elected nine-member Tribal Council and a seven-member Council of Elders. Tribal Council oversees judicial and cultural matters and has legislative authority over tribal membership and membership. The Council of Elders has executive and legislative power in the areas specified in the constitution. The Tribe has two courts: the Mohegan Gaming Disputes Court, which hears cases involving gambling, and the Mohegan Tribal Court, which hears all non-gambling matters.
The long legacy of community service and involvement is still very much alive in the Mohegan tribe. They have a large gaming resort, spa, and food and retail area called Mohegan Sun which provides employment for many of the tribe. The tribe uses the income they earn to support their housing and other needs. Each year the tribe gives back three-quarters of its federal monetary allotment to be redistributed to other Indian nations that are more in need.
Additionally, the Mohegan Tribe and Pequot Tribe, owners of the two Indian casinos in the state, have voluntarily agreed to donate 25% of their slots earnings to the State of Connecticut in lieu of the 8% corporate gaming tax. As a result, tribes actually pay double their corporate tax and are the largest source of revenue for the state after the federal government. The Mohegan tribe believe they have an obligation to take care of themselves and have made numerous donations and grants to schools, hospitals and other community services.
