The Last of the Mohicans, by James Fenimore Cooper, is a tale of the 18th century frontier during the French and Indian War and how the different cultures of the English, French, Indians, and colonists collided. The story centers on the last two people of a once great tribe, the Mohicans, and their adopted white son and brother.
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Hawkeye, the white adopted son of Chingachgook, and his brother Uncas, tried to desperately avoid joining the increasingly brutal French and Indian War. However they were all forced to act when Indian allies to the French attacked two innocent daughters, Cora and Alice Munro, and their party while traveling to reach their father, a British colonel in command at Fort William Henry. Upon their arrival, the British army is found in desperate need of reinforcements. Hawkeye and his companions did what they could, but the English reinforcements never came, forcing the British to surrender the battle to the French. The French decided to let the English army go back to England and have their lives spared; however on their journey back home Magua and his Indian army attacked. Magua in his hate toward the "gray hair," who killed his family, murdered Colonel Munro. And promised to wipe his seed off the earth forever by killing his daughters. Alice and Cora escaped however along with Duncan, Hawkeye and the others. They did not get far before Magua caught up with them and captured Alice, Cora, and Duncan. Magua took them to the Mohawk wise man, to show his leadership and to sacrifice them for his victory. Hawkeye, Uncas and Chingachgook were hot on his trail, and Hawkeye went to plead with the wise man for their lives, he granted and set Hawkeye and Duncan free, gave Alice for Magua's wife and Cora was to be sacrificed for Magua's suffering. However Duncan told them to take him for a sacrifice instead of Cora. Uncas fought Magua until the death for Alice. From a distance Chingachgook saw the whole thing unfold, and at seeing his son die, Chingachgook went and killed Magua.