grew even more powerful after the
English nearly destroyed neighboring
Native American tribes in King Philip’s
War (1675–76).
Despite their success the Mohegan
population declined. Many of the
Mohegan began dying of diseases
brought by the Europeans, such as
smallpox and measles. In addition,
English settlers turned on their former
allies and took the Mohegan’s land. At
the end of the 20th century there were
only about 1,100 Mohegan living in the
United States.
..More to explore
King Philip’sWar • Measles • Native
Americans • Pequot • Smallpox
Mohican
The Mohican (or Mahican) are Native
Americans who originally lived in what
is now northern New York State. Their
land ran along the Hudson River. Today
most Mohican live in northeasternWisconsin.
The Mohican traditionally lived in rectangular,
bark-covered homes called longhouses.
Longhouses were big enough for
several families. Groups of longhouses
made up villages. Some villages were
protected by stockades, or fences of
sharp stakes.
The Mohican grew corn, beans, and
squash. They gathered wild plant foods,
including the sweet syrup of the maple
tree. They also hunted and fished.
Dutch traders came to Mohican lands in
the early 1600s. The Dutch became
allies of the Mohawk, who were enemies
of the Mohican. The Mohawk got guns
from the Dutch and forced the Mohican
from their homeland. Many Mohican
joined other tribes. One group of Mohican
moved to what is now Stockbridge,
Massachusetts. They became known as
the Stockbridge Indians.
The Stockbridge fought with the
Americans in the American Revolution
(1775–83). But after the war the U.S.
government let settlers take over the
tribe’s territory. The Stockbridge moved
west. Eventually they settled in
Wisconsin. There they were joined by
the Munsee, a group of Delaware
(Lenni Lenape) Indians. In 1856 the
U.S. government gave the Stockbridge
and Munsee Indians a reservation in
Wisconsin. At the end of the 20th
century more than 2,300 Stockbridge-
Munsee lived in Wisconsin.
..More to explore
Delaware • Mohawk • Native Americans
The Mohican used stones to grind corn into
meal.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Mohican 153
Moldova
Moldova is a small country in eastern
Europe. Its capital is Chisinau.
Geography
Moldova is in the northeastern corner of
the Balkan Peninsula. Ukraine and
Romania surround the country. The
land is a hilly plain with rich, black soil.
Moldova has warm summers and mild
winters.
Plants and Animals
Forests cover northern and central
Moldova.Wild boars, hares, wolves,
foxes, badgers, wildcats, and deer live in
the forests.
People
Moldovans make up about half of the
country’s population. Other groups
include Ukrainians, Russians, Bulgarians,
Roma (Gypsies), Gagauz (a Turkic
people), and Jews.
Economy
Agriculture is important to Moldova’s
struggling economy. Sugar beets, wheat,
corn, grapes, sunflower seeds, and
tobacco are the leading crops. Sheep,
pigs, and cattle are the main livestock.
Moldova’s industries process many farm
products, including wine, sugar, dairy
products, meat, and fruit. Factories also
make tractors and clothing.
History
Moldova was originally called Bessarabia.
In the 1400s it joined Moldavia, a
region that later became the country of
Romania. In 1940 the Soviet Union
took Bessarabia from Romania. It made
Bessarabia the Moldavian Soviet Socialist
Republic. In 1991 the republic
gained independence as Moldova.
..More to explore
Balkan Peninsula • Chisinau • Romania
Grapevines grow near Tiraspol, Moldova.
Facts About
MOLDOVA
Population
(2008 estimate)
3,760,000
Area
13,068 sq mi
(33,845 sq km)
Capital
Chisinau
Form of
government
Republic
Major cities
Chisinau, Tiraspol,
Balti,
Tighina
154 Moldova BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Mole
Moles are small mammals that are
known for digging tunnels. There are
more than 40 species, or types, of mole.
They can be found in Europe, Asia, and
North America.
Most moles are built for digging. Their
bodies are cylindrical, or tube-shaped,
and they generally have short tails. They
range in length from about 1.2 inches (3
centimeters) to almost 9 inches (22.5
centimeters) without their tails. The
head is flat and pointed, and the nose is
long and piglike. They have hairs on
their noses and tails that are very sensitive.
These help to guide them through
the darkness. Moles have short front legs
with wide, flat feet. The feet have five
toes, each with a long, sharp claw.
Moles make tunnels by “swimming”
through the soil. They push their feet
forward and then out to the side, moving
the dirt back. Moles sometimes
make two separate tunnels. Tunnels just
under the ground are for feeding and
resting. Some moles also dig deeper tunnels
about 10 feet (3 meters) underground.
These lead to the mole’s home.
In digging these deep tunnels, moles
push up the dirt, making little hills
above ground called molehills.
Some moles spend time aboveground or
in water. These include shrew moles and
moles called desmans.
Moles have big appetites. Most moles
eat earthworms, insects, and other foods
that they find while traveling through
their tunnels.
#More to explore
Mammal
Molecule
A molecule is the smallest unit of a substance
