Can't say that I spent any time at Foxwoods, but I did spend a day at
the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center built with some of
the profits. With the exception of the gift shop, which was full of
really touristy stuff, the museum was very impressive. It begins with
a descent through a glacier to a life size diorama of a mammoth hunt.
I would question the claim that the tribe has been in continuous
residence for at least 10,000 years. They are also doing a good deal
of archaeological research and perhaps they will be able to
substantiate the claim.
Unless they have changed the exhibit, their presentation on the
destruction of the tribe by its neighbors and the Mass Bay Colony was
very candid. To a large extent they blame the "war" on their own
greed. The Mashantucket Pequots maintained a monopoly on trade in
their area. Eventually their heavy handedness, including occasional
attacks on competitors, caused their neighbors to unite with the Mass
Bay Colony to break the monopoly.
Seldom do people admit their own faults. One of the things that I
think makes the US great is that we are a work in progress. Over the
years we have corrected many of our shortcomings (slavery, limited
franchise, etc.), but there is a recognition that there is still work
to do. And unlike many countries we talk about what is still not
"right" and challenge each other to be better.
http://www.pequotmuseum.org/
On Apr 20, 2006, at 15:46, Jane Steele wrote:
> Marilyn: You are to be commended for your honesty concerning the
> unfortunate situation with the Pequot Nation during that time. The
> Foxwoods Casino and other good things that the Pequots struggled
> for and created for themselves is proof that by allowing and
> fighting for the truth helps us all in the end. I admire them(and
> you) for the positive progress that has been made. Jane Steele,MA.
>
> -----Original Message-----
>> From: [log in to unmask]
>> Sent: Apr 20, 2006 10:52 AM
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: [VA-HIST] 10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America-
>> Pequots
>>
>> I've been following the debate about "Ten Days That Unexpectedly
>> Changed
>> America" and after digging for the article in USA Weekend April
>> 7-9 2006 have
>> this to add from the article.
>> And I quote:
>>
>> "We weren't trying to pick the 10 most important days," executive
>> producer
>> Susan Werbe says. "We challenged people to come up with days that
>> weren't
>> obvious and that caused significant change, whether long lasting
>> or symbolic." To
>> choose the days, the network conducted a series of polls and then
>> brainstormed with top historians.
>>
>> Thirteen award-winning documentary filmmakers were tapped to work
>> on the
>> series......
>>
>>
>> So there you have the History Channel's thinking on the series.
>> Being a
>> descendant of one of the Puritans (Benjamin Munn) who participated
>> in the Pequot
>> "War" (quotes mine) I found that particular episode quite
>> interesting. Ben
>> received land for his part in the massacre. And I really am not a
>> bloodthirsty person and know of no other descendants who are! It
>> is not a shining
>> moment in our family history but one must try to understand the
>> times these folks
>> lived in and their thought processes, whatever those might have
>> been. We
>> visited the Mystic area 8 years ago and spent some time and money
>> at the
>> Foxwoods Casino which is beautifully situated near Mystic. But
>> that's another story!
>> I don't believe one can call that awful time a true "war" since
>> the Pequots
>> were totally taken by surprise and unmercifully
>> killed but that's how the history books write it.
>>
>> Just had to add my two cents and fill in some of the blanks on
>> this History
>> Channel series.
>> Whether politics entered in to their decisions, I have no idea.
>>
>> Marilynn Munn Strand
>>
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>
>
> Lillian Jane Steele
>
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