Resources for History Day.
These are only examples.
New England governments recognized tribes and conducted legal business with them during the Colonial Period, so that many historical documents are not under the Federal Government's Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), but with the colony and/or state. Ask a librarian for help with this.
Many of the documents regarding recognition of tribes in the State of Connecticut are held in the Law Vault.
Note on language: The Connecticut State Library has resources from many different time periods and historic language is reflected in them.
These are examples of some of the resources available from the Connecticut State Archives.
Much of this information is not available online. It is recommended to contact the History & Genealogy desk before coming to visit, as items need to be pulled from secured collections.
Learn how to request and use archival collections.
Subscription databases require a card from the Connecticut State Library for remote access.
These are only a few suggestions - it is always recommended to search our catalog for additional sources.
PLEASE note publication dates - historic items may contain some terms that today’s readers may consider obsolete and inappropriate.
Annual Reports for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
Annual Reports for the Secretary of the Interior
Federal Indian law.
United States. Department of the Interior. Office of the Solicitor. ; Cohen, Felix S., 1907-1953.
Publication: Washington : United States Government Printing Office 1958
Connecticut State Library Law Vault KF8205 .C6 1958
Handbook of Federal Indian law : with reference tables and index
Cohen, Felix S., 1907-1953. ; Ickes, Harold L. (Harold LeClair), 1874-1952.; Margold, Nathan R.; United States. Department of the Interior. Office of the Solicitor.
Washington, D.C. : U. S. Govt. Printing Office 1942
Earlier editions also avaialble
Connecticut State Library Law Vault KF8205 .C6 1988
Cohen's handbook of federal Indian law.
Cohen, Felix S., 1907-1953. ; Newton, Nell Jessup.
San Francisco, CA : LexisNexis 2012
Earlier editions also available
Connecticut State Library Law Vault KF8205 .C6 2012 plus Pocket Part
Treaties with American Indians an encyclopedia of rights, conflicts, and sovereignty
Fixico, Donald Lee, 1951-
Santa Barbara, Calif. : ABC-CLIO c2008
Connecticut State Library Stacks KF8203.6 .T74 2008
The encyclopedia of Native American legal tradition
Johansen, Bruce E. (Bruce Elliott), 1950-
Westport, Conn : Greenwood Press 1998
Connecticut State Library Stacks KF8204 .E53 1998
Survey of Conditions of the Indians in the United States
1929
Online through HeinOnline American Indian Law Collection. Requires a library card from Connecticut State Library.
Survey of conditions of the Indians in the United States hearings before a subcommittee of the Committee on Indian affairs
United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Indian Affairs.
Washington : U.S. Govt. Print. Off. 1929-1944
Connecticut State Library Newspaper Room Microfiche E93 .U55 1929a
Indian Affairs, Laws and Treaties (Kappler)
Online through HeinOnline American Indian Law Collection. Requires a library card from Connecticut State Library for remote access.
Indian affairs : laws and treaties
United States. ; Kappler, Charles Joseph, 1868-1946.; United States. Department of the Interior.
Washington : U.S. G.P.O. 1904-
Connecticut State Library Federal Documents I 1.107:6
Indian affairs : Laws and treaties
United States. ; Kappler, Charles Joseph, 1868-1946.; United States.
New York : AMS Press 1971, i.e. 1972
Connecticut State Library Stacks KF8203 1972
Supplement to Kappler's Indian affairs, laws and treaties : compiled federal regulations relating to Indians
United States. ; Kappler, Charles Joseph, 1868-1946.; United States.
Washington, D.C. : U.S. Dept. of the Interior 1975
Connecticut State Library Federal Documents I 1.77:K 14
Kappler revisited : an index and bibliographic guide to American Indian treaties
Bernholz, Charles D. ; Kappler, Charles Joseph, 1868-1946.
Kenmore, N.Y. : Epoch Books c2003
Connecticut State Library Stacks KF8201.A1 B47 2003
Annotated bibliographies list resources on a specific topic and include notes, or annotations, about the resource. They are not full text or research indexes. But they can be very helpful.
See also pages on Military.
These resources reflect Native Americans who served in the military, and their interactions with military.
Much of the information will be in our secured collections. Contacting the History & Genealogy Unit is recommended.
Check our guide:
This section is for when just "Pequot" is used, and not more specific names.
On June 24, 2002, The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Neal A. McCaleb gave final determination finds that there is a single tribe composed of the Eastern Pequot Tribe (petition #35) and the Paucatuck Eastern Pequot Tribe (petition #113). See link below.
During the Pequot Wars, defeated tribes were dispersed and/or sent to Caribbean as well as enslaved by colonists.
See also Previous Topics guide.