The League Of The Long House

Originally Aired: March 27, 1939 Cavalcade of America #158, "The League Of The Long House," explores the tragic downfall of the mighty Iroquois Confederation through the lens of European colonial ambition. The episode opens with the defeated Chief Logan reflecting on his people's former greatness before his British conqueror, Lord Dunmore, then traces the seeds of destruction back to 1609, when French explorer Champlain treacherously murders three Mohawk chiefs. This single act of violence transforms the entire League of the Longhouse into eternal enemies of France, making them pawns in the bitter colonial struggle between European powers. As the narrative unfolds, the Marquis de Nonville plots an elaborate scheme to seize New York and crush the Confederation, revealing the ruthless calculations behind colonial expansion. When the French plan reaches the Indian chiefs through mysterious channels, twelve hundred warriors strike back violently. The episode follows subsequent French attacks under the Comte de Frontenac, including warnings from loyal Mohawks to Dutch settlers in Schenectady that go tragically unheeded, illustrating how greed, betrayal, and European imperialism systematically dismantled a once-powerful native democracy.