Choptank Indian Tribe
Encyclopedia
The Choptank Indian Tribe was an Algonquian
-speaking Native American
tribe that historically lived on the Eastern Shore of Maryland
on the Delmarva Peninsula
. They occupied an area along the lower Choptank River
basin, which included parts of present-day Talbot
, Dorchester
and Caroline
counties. The river emptied into the Chesapeake Bay
. They spoke Nanticoke
, an Eastern Algonquian language
closely related to Delaware.
The Choptank were the only Indians on the Eastern Shore to be granted a reservation in fee simple by the English
colonial government. They retained the land until 1822, when the state of Maryland sold it, in part to pay for the state's share of the District of Columbia.
The Algonquian-speaking Choptank were independent, but they were related in culture and language to the Nanticoke
, the larger paramount
chiefdom
immediately to their south, which was dominant on the Eastern Shore. After the arrival of English colonists, the tribes' histories took different paths. The Choptank maintained good relations with the European settlers. Eventually they were assimilated
into the mainstream society through intermarriage. Like many other small tribes, they ceased to exist as a separate entity, although their descendants survive.
The only Indian reservation which the English established in fee simple on the Eastern Shore was the Choptank Indian Reservation in 1669. The territory included what later became the city of Cambridge
, the county seat of Dorchester County
. The last town in Dorchester County occupied by the Choptank was Locust Neck Indian Town, which they left about 1790.
In 1822 the state of Maryland sold off the land of the reservation for development. The state used some of the proceeds to pay its share of contribution to the formation of the District of Columbia.
The U.S. Navy tugboat
Choptank was named after the tribe. It served from 1918 until 1946. The towns of Choptank, Maryland
and Choptank Mills, Delaware are named after the river.
Algonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
-speaking Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
tribe that historically lived on the Eastern Shore of Maryland
Eastern Shore of Maryland
The Eastern Shore of Maryland is a territorial part of the U.S. state of Maryland that lies predominately on the east side of the Chesapeake Bay and consists of nine counties. The origin of term Eastern Shore was derived to distinguish a territorial part of the State of Maryland from the Western...
on the Delmarva Peninsula
Delmarva Peninsula
The Delmarva Peninsula is a large peninsula on the East Coast of the United States, occupied by most of Delaware and portions of Maryland and Virginia...
. They occupied an area along the lower Choptank River
Choptank River
The Choptank River is a major tributary of the Chesapeake Bay on the Delmarva Peninsula. Running for , it rises in Kent County, Delaware, runs through Caroline County, Maryland and forms much of the border between Talbot County, Maryland on the north, and Caroline County and Dorchester County on...
basin, which included parts of present-day Talbot
Talbot County, Maryland
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*81.4% White*12.8% Black*0.2% Native American*1.2% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.6% Two or more races*2.7% Other races*5.5% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, Dorchester
Dorchester County, Maryland
Dorchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland on its Eastern Shore. It is bordered by the Choptank River to the north, Talbot County to the northwest, Caroline County to the northeast, Wicomico County to the southeast, Sussex County, Delaware, to the east, and the Chesapeake...
and Caroline
Caroline County, Maryland
Caroline County is a wholly rural county located in the U.S. state of Maryland on its Eastern Shore. It is bordered by Queen Anne's County to the north, Talbot County to the west, Dorchester County to the south, Kent County, Delaware, to the east, and Sussex County, Delaware, to the southeast. As...
counties. The river emptied into the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
. They spoke Nanticoke
Nanticoke language
Nanticoke is an extinct Algonquian language formerly spoken in Delaware and Maryland, United States. The same language was spoken by several neighboring tribes, including the Nanticoke, which constituted the paramount chiefdom; the Choptank, the Assateague, and probably also the Piscataway and the...
, an Eastern Algonquian language
Eastern Algonquian languages
The Eastern Algonquian languages constitute a subgroup of the Algonquian languages. Prior to European contact, Eastern Algonquian consisted of at least seventeen languages collectively occupying the Atlantic coast of North America and adjacent inland areas, from the Canadian Maritime provinces to...
closely related to Delaware.
The Choptank were the only Indians on the Eastern Shore to be granted a reservation in fee simple by the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
colonial government. They retained the land until 1822, when the state of Maryland sold it, in part to pay for the state's share of the District of Columbia.
History
The name Choptank is thought to be from the Nanticoke language, the word tshapetank (a stream that separates) or (place of big current).The Algonquian-speaking Choptank were independent, but they were related in culture and language to the Nanticoke
Nanticoke Indian Tribe
The Nanticoke people are an indigenous American Algonquian people, whose traditional homelands are in Chesapeake Bay and Delaware. Today they live in the northeast United States, especially Delaware; in Canada; and in Oklahoma.-History:...
, the larger paramount
Paramount chief
A paramount chief is the highest-level traditional chief or political leader in a regional or local polity or country typically administered politically with a chief-based system. This definition is used occasionally in anthropological and archaeological theory to refer to the rulers of multiple...
chiefdom
Chiefdom
A chiefdom is a political economy that organizes regional populations through a hierarchy of the chief.In anthropological theory, one model of human social development rooted in ideas of cultural evolution describes a chiefdom as a form of social organization more complex than a tribe or a band...
immediately to their south, which was dominant on the Eastern Shore. After the arrival of English colonists, the tribes' histories took different paths. The Choptank maintained good relations with the European settlers. Eventually they were assimilated
Cultural assimilation
Cultural assimilation is a socio-political response to demographic multi-ethnicity that supports or promotes the assimilation of ethnic minorities into the dominant culture. The term assimilation is often used with regard to immigrants and various ethnic groups who have settled in a new land. New...
into the mainstream society through intermarriage. Like many other small tribes, they ceased to exist as a separate entity, although their descendants survive.
The only Indian reservation which the English established in fee simple on the Eastern Shore was the Choptank Indian Reservation in 1669. The territory included what later became the city of Cambridge
Cambridge, Maryland
Cambridge is a city in Dorchester County, Maryland, United States. The population was 12,326 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Dorchester County and the county's largest municipality...
, the county seat of Dorchester County
Dorchester County, Maryland
Dorchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland on its Eastern Shore. It is bordered by the Choptank River to the north, Talbot County to the northwest, Caroline County to the northeast, Wicomico County to the southeast, Sussex County, Delaware, to the east, and the Chesapeake...
. The last town in Dorchester County occupied by the Choptank was Locust Neck Indian Town, which they left about 1790.
In 1822 the state of Maryland sold off the land of the reservation for development. The state used some of the proceeds to pay its share of contribution to the formation of the District of Columbia.
The U.S. Navy tugboat
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
Choptank was named after the tribe. It served from 1918 until 1946. The towns of Choptank, Maryland
Choptank, Maryland
Choptank is an unincorporated town on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, in Caroline County, Maryland, United States. The town was founded in the 17th century. It is on the Choptank River running into the Chesapeake Bay...
and Choptank Mills, Delaware are named after the river.