The Pennacook or Merrimack Tribe were a people that formerly inhabited the Merrimac River Valley of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and portions of southern Maine. The Pennacook, unlike most tribes of Massachusetts, were closer related to the Abenaki than to the Algonquian tribes such as the Massachusett or Wampanoag. This linguistic similarity was also shared cultuarlly, but during the time of early European settlement, the Pennacook were a large confederacy that were politically distinct and at odds with their northern Abenaki neighbours. The Pennacook farmed maize, corn, and squash along fertile river beds, and hunted the wooded, less fertile areas. The Merrimack River, formed by the confluence of the Pemigewasset River (left) and Winnipesaukee River (right) is shown on a map of the northeastern United States The Merrimack River (sometimes spelled Merrimac River, an earlier name that is sometimes, although unofficially, used today) is a 110-mile-long (177-kilometer... This article is about the U.S. State. ... The Massachusett were tribal communities of Native Americans who lived in areas surrounding Massachusetts Bay in what is now the state of Massachusetts. ... The Wampanoag (Wôpanâak in the Wampanoag language) are a Native American people. ...

One of the first tribes to encounter European colonists, the Pennacook were decimated by introduced diseases, raids by Mohawk Indians and Micmac. Passaconoway, despite his stronger military position over the colonists, decided to make peace with the colonists than engage in more warfare due to the great loss of population. King Phillip's War, however, would make their numbers fall even lower. Although Wonalancet, a chief of the Pennacook, tried to maintain neutrality, western bands in Massachusetts did not. The Mikmaq (also Míkmaq, Micmac; in Quebec, Migmaq) are a First Nations people indigenous to northeastern New England, Canadas Maritimes and the Gaspe Peninsula of Quebec. ... King Philips War was a general Indian uprising in 1675-1676 to resist continued expansion of the English colonies in New England. ... Wonalancet is an area in New Hampshire in the United States comprised of parts of several towns (Tamworth, Sandwich, Albany, and Waterville). ...

The Pennacook fled north, with their former enemeies, or West with other tribes, where they were hunted down and killed by English colonists. Those that survived, joined other scattered tribespeople at Schaticoke, New York. Those that fled northward, eventually merged with other displaced New England tribes and Abenaki. Although no longer a distinct tribe, many bands of Abenaki in New Hampshire, Canada, and Vermont have Pennacook blood in their veins.

See also

• Passaconaway
• Wonalancet
• Plausawa
• Penacook, New Hampshire
• http://www.cowasuck.org/history.cfm

Passaconaway, a name which translates to Child of the Bear, was a chieftain in the Pennacook tribe. ... Wonalancet is an area in New Hampshire in the United States comprised of parts of several towns (Tamworth, Sandwich, Albany, and Waterville). ... Plausawa (c1700-1754) was a Pennacook Indian from what is now New Hampshire. ... Penacook is a village in northern Concord, New Hampshire in Merrimack County, New Hampshire. ...

References

• Johnson, M. and Hook, R. The Native Tribes of North America, Compendium Publishing, 1992. ISBN 1-872004-03-2
• http://www.dickshovel.com/penna.html