Farmers and Cultivators
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 The Narragansett Tribe
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The Narragansett tribe are a Native American tribe who controlled the area surrounding Narragansett Bay in present-day Rhode Island, and also portions of Connecticut and eastern Massachusetts. The Narragansett culture has existed in the region for thousands of years, trading extensively, and t he town of Narragansett, Rhode Island, is named after them.
Europeans first encountered the Indians of Rhode Island in 1524, when the explorer Giovanni de Verrazano visited Narragansett Bay. He described a large Indian population organized under powerful "kings." Europeans did not settle this area until 1635. The Narraganset and Europeans maintained good relations until King Philip's War in 1675-76. This war was the last major effort by the Indians of southern New England to drive out the English settlers who wanted more and more Indian land. However, the Narragansett were completely defeated.
At around the beginning of the 17th Century there were about 10,000 Narragansett people. Over the next hundred years, however, that number was to be cut to just 500. War with the British and disease were the killers. In just one battle in 1675, the Narragansett lost 20 % of their population.
The name Narragansett is actually derived from the word Nanhigganeuck which means ‘people of the small point.’ The language of the Narragansett is of Algonquin origin. They were an eastern woodland people. They lived in large wooden log houses, which were heavily fortified. Their subsistence came from the farming of corn, beans and squash. They also grew tobacco for smoking as well as medicinal use. They were also hunters and fishermen, as well as being expert users of the water. The Narragansetts were proficient swimmers as well as expert canoesmen.
Although they suffered greatly from King Philip's War, the Narragansett absorbed members of other tribes to reboost numbers, especially the Niantic tribe, now fully merged into the Narragansett. According to tribal rolls, there are approximately 2,400 members of the Narragansett Tribe today.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narragansett_(tribe)
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/es/ri/tribe_1
http://www.essortment.com/all/narragansettind_rios.htm
