The Munsee Indians were Native Americans who lived in present-day New York City, Long Island, New Jersey, southern portions of New York, and parts of eastern Pennsylvania.

The Iroquois, or the Six Nations Confederation, lived north of them. When the Dutch came to the New World, they landed in the area of Long Island and New York City and negotiated with the Munsee to purchase land, creating documents which the Munsee marked in some way. Later, when the British took over the same area, they also documented their purchase of land from the Munsee. These documents serve as the major primary sources about the Munsee, who eventually sold or were tricked out of all of their lands or forced to move and joined up with other tribes such as the Delaware and Shawnee and moved west.

Robert S. Grumet looks into the early history of this unassuming nation, some of whom are with the Stockbridge in Wisconsin. Recommended to those interested in Native American studies.