The 1652 Articles of Peace and Friendship

The 1652 Articles of Peace and Friendship was signed on 5 July 1652 between the Province of Maryland and the Conestoga-Susquehannock people. This treaty was signed by five representatives, Sawahegeh, Aurotaurogh, Scarhuhadih, Ruthcuhogah, and Wathetdianeh. It brokered peace between the colony of Maryland and the Susquehannock people, and gave the English hunting rights and land in what is now the state of Maryland. In exchange, the Susquehannock received weapons and supplies to engage their rival tribes to the north. 

This treaty recognizes our ancestral land in the eastern shore regions of Maryland, and cedes territory there for colonial settlement. While the land was ceded, the eastern shore region today is one of the most populated areas for American Indians living in Maryland, including Susquehannock, Piscataway, and other American Indian peoples. 

The tribe is currently working on a full transcription of this treaty, which is a foundational document recognizing that our ancestors were considered sovereign by the emerging colonies.