Relationships Among Native American Peoples
The Powhatan called the Susquehannock cannibals and placed their villages inland to protect themselves from the Susquehannock war parties. In fact, the Powhatan welcomed English settlements at first because they thought they would provide additional protection.
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The French had friendly relations with the Susquehannock, and together they went to war against the Iroquois League. This alarmed the Dutch traders on the Hudson River, and they actively supported the Mohawk (who were in the Iroquois League) in 1615 against the Susquehannock.
Actually the Susquehannock managed to become an important trading partner with all of the competing European powers, a unique achievement. They were skilled hunters and trappers and harvested a lot of furs. The Beaver Wars (1630-1700) were a result of the intense competition in the fur trade.
As competition increased in the fur trade, the English traders attempted to lure the Mohawk from the Dutch by selling firearms to them. The Dutch, however, decided to offer firearms to them as well, but in unlimited amounts. The Beaver Wars escalated and because the Susquehannock were the biggest fur traders, they had access to whatever weapons they wanted. They even had a cannon to defend themselves.