1666 Articles of Peace and Amity facts for kids
The 1666 Articles of Peace and Amity was an important agreement signed on April 20, 1666. It was made between the English colony of Maryland and 12 Native American groups. These groups spoke Eastern Algonquian languages.
Some of the tribes included were the Piscataway, Anacostanck, Doegs, and Mattawoman. This treaty was special because it said Native peoples had the right to stay on their lands. It also protected their right to keep fishing, crabbing, hunting, and fowling (hunting birds).
The treaty also set rules for how Native people and colonists should act. For example, it said that Native people should not enter colonial towns if they were "painted." This was because the English found it hard to tell people apart when they were painted. If a Native person and a colonist met in the forest, the Native person was supposed to put down their weapons if asked. If they didn't, they would be seen as an enemy.
The treaty also had rules about serious conflicts. If a Native person harmed an Englishman, there would be a severe consequence. Similarly, if an Englishman harmed a Native person who was not painted, there would also be a serious consequence.
What is the History of the 1666 Articles of Peace?
In December 2020, the Council of the District of Columbia made a decision to honor this old treaty. They voted to give free fishing licenses to members of the Piscataway Indian Nation and Tayac Territory and the Piscataway Conoy Tribe of Maryland. This was a way to respect the treaty's promise about fishing rights for Native people.
