In times gone by it was our ancestors, the colonists who came by boat and the native american folk who roamed and lived in the land of lakes that made the place what it is now. Only one of the Great Lakes saw the most conflict and action for the most part. That Lake was Lake Ontario and the 'Finger Lakes' to the south.

The Irqouis Nation

The Tribes of the Great Lakes

The Iroqouis Nation

Origins

Many years ago there is a legend that The Sky Holder looked down on the earth and decided to create some people. He hoped to create beings that would surpass others in beauty, strength and bravery.
The first to arrive were those near the Mohawk River, these became known as the Mohawk Indians.
Then the second ones were those near a great stone. These became known as the Oneidas. Many of which lived on the south side of Oneida Lake or in the valleys of Oneida Creek.
The third were left on a great hill and were called the Onondagas.

The forth tribe were called the Cayugas and dwelled in the swamps originally. Cayuga Lake being their source.
The fifth were the Senecas of Seneca Lake. Both the forth and fifth tribes were originated in New York State.

Finally the sixth tribe of the Iroquois Nation was the Tuscaroras. The Sky Holder is said to of dwelled with them for a time, taking them up the Roanoke River into what is now North Carolina. This tribe was taught the art and crafts by this higher being. Indeed the Tuscaroras claim to be the superior tribe because of this knowledge.
Yet the Onondagas claim to have been given the gift of the council fire, making them the chosen tribe. Indeed all the tribes had been granted a certain boon or gift in their own way.

Over time the Iroquois Nation spread out, moving into parts of Canada, Pennsylvania and even the Mid-West.

The proper name for the Iroquois tribes are called the Haudenosaunee in the native dialect which means People of the Longhouse'.
However, the French colonists used the word Iroquois which is what passed onto common used today.
The actual meaning of the word Iroquois is unclear, some think it is a derogatory word used by the Huron Indians (traditional enemys of the Iroquois) meaning 'Black Snake' or 'Adder'.
Others reckon it to mean 'Killer People' with reference to their skill and ferocity in tribal warfare. A third origin could be that it's based on a transliteration of the Algonquian tribes name for them which became Iroquois when the French encountered them.

Some say that the Tower of Babel story, could be, in part, where the Indian Legends take their story from.

Lake Ontario

This lake being the smallest and located in both Canada and the USA.

The Tribes of the Great Lakes

It was this lake that most of the Iroquois nation indians used mostly. Up-state New York is the state that it joins onto and from the 1300s to the 1700s it was their home. The Mohawk, Seneca and Onondaga made up the 'longhouse'; that is to say the eastern region, the gateway, of New York State was originally Mohawk. Then the middle region being the hearth was Onondaga territory. Then the western fringes were held by the Seneca, with one of the 'finger lake' being named after them. Historically, any force that would want to reach the Great Lakes proper would have to move through them first.

There were other iroquois nation tribes as well that made up the 'longhouse' but those three were considered the main-stay tribes with the others augmenting their numbers.

The traditional enemy of the Iroquois were the Huron who originated at Lake Huron and clashed with the Iroquois during several violent skirmishes and wars. Disease and losses resulted in them being pushed back to Georgian Bay in Canada by the mid-1600s.