USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -In the piedmont and mountain regions of this area lived Siouan Indians of the Monacan and Mannahoac tribes, arranged in a confederation ranging from the Roanoke River Valley to the Potomac River, and from the Fall Line at Richmond and Fredericksburg west through the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Detailed explanation-2: -The Monacan nation was first recorded by Jamestown settlers in colonial Virginia. Their native language is a Siouan language which is extinct. The people are related to other Siouan-speaking tribes of the inland in this region, such as the Tutelo, Saponi and Occaneechi.

Detailed explanation-3: -While the Virginian Algonquin-speaking people mentioned previously occupied the bulk of the land to the east of what is now Richmond, the Monacan Tribe’s original territory would have been the majority of the Piedmont of Virginia and parts of the Blue Ridge, even stretching down into modern-day northern North Carolina.

Detailed explanation-4: -The Monacan call themselves “Yesan, ” for “the people.” The Monacan town of Monasukapanough was located at a crossing point of the Rivanna River, and the name may include the Siouan word for “ford”-“moni.” Their primary town was Rassawek, at the confluence of what today we call the Rivanna and James Rivers.

Detailed explanation-5: -With over 2, 600 citizens, the Monacan Nation is a federally recognized tribe. Bear Mountain in Amherst County has been the home of the Monacan people for more than 10, 000 years.