Conclusion and Further Research
In 1705, about half the tributary lands of the Indians were transferred to Virginians, and the total population of tributary Indians had fallen to 600.[1] Yet they endured, and today there are 11 state-recognized tribes in Virginia: Mattaponi, Upper Mattaponi, Pamunkey, Chickahominy, Eastern Chickahominy, Rappahannock, Nansemond, Monacan, Cheroenhaka Nottoway, Nottoway, and Patawomeck.
Conflict is the foundation of our nation. After the 1622 massacre, racial hatred in English settlers grew, and they made a conscious decision to eradicate Indians and take their land. Both violence and law were key factors used to achieve this, culminating in the harassment and degradation of Indians. Both George Mason I and II pursued, killed, and advocated against Indians, proving them to be active participants of this system. Though George Mason I and II were perhaps not the leading contributors to the consistent removal of Indians from their land, as well as the overall decimation of their population, both were notable men with power and influence who made the conscious decision to become active participants in a system that stripped away Indian rights.
There are numerous opportunities for further research on this topic. Further research that details George Mason I and II, Indian tribes, conversion, the headright system, racial hatred, and Indian slavery are needed to clarify the current research. Questions that arise from the current work are: Why couldn't the Powhatan and English concepts of land be reconciled? Did conflict between Indian tribes contribute to the overall decimation of the Indian population? What is the Indian perspective on warfare and the loss of land? New research that is needed to build upon the current research would be on intermarriage and how that affected Indian-English relationships. In extending beyond the current research, new research could be found on George Mason III, IV, and V to see how relations have changed with Indians over time, as well as learn what issues were pertinent to each of their respective periods.
[1] Ethan A Schmidt, The Divided Dominion: Social Conflict and Indian Hatred in Early Virginia (University Press Of Colorado, 2015). 182