New York State Steals 2 Million Acres of unceded Onondaga Land, Violating Treaty Law

For over thirty years, New York State representatives entered into a series of illegal “treaties” with Haudenosaunee citizens who were not chosen to represent their governments in order to claim deed to unceded lands. Over 2 million acres of unceded Onondaga Nation land were taken in this way, with the state selling much of it to private entities. These land takings enabled the building of the Erie Canal, which directly impacted the health of Onondaga Lake.