Native American Resistance Notes

• Native Americans formed a powerful alliance in the Northwestern part of the US to resist American expansion.
• The tribes that were part of the alliance were the Miami, Delaware, and the Shawnee.
• The alliance was led by two powerful leaders, Little Turtle and Blue Jacket.
• The alliance used help from the British to resist American expansion.
• Together they defeated an expedition led by Arthur St. Clair at a place called Miamitown in what is now Fort Wayne, IN.
• After the defeat, President Washington reorganized the army into a professional force known as the legion.
• He chose General "Mad" Anthony Wayne to lead the legion
• He becomes the first General to require his men to go through basic training.
• The new legion was very powerful and Little Turtle warned the other Native American tribes not to try to fight against it.
• They did not take his advice, however, and a battle took place in Ohio at a place called Fallen Timbers
• The Native Americans lost very badly, and were forced to sign the Treaty of Greenville
• This required the Native Americans to give up all territory in the southern part of Ohio and they could no longer use the Ohio River as a boundary for their land
• By the end of the 18th century, the Native Americans were in a very weak state. They were left with four options for dealing with American expansion. They were:

  • Accept white culture (assimilation)
  • Blend the two cultures
  • Return to old traditions
  • More military action
• The idea of accepting the white culture (assimilation) was proposed by Little Turtle
• He believed that adopting the customs and culture would allow the two groups to live peacefully
• The idea of blending cultures was proposed by Handsome Lake (Seneca Tribe).
• Handsome Lake believed in keeping Native American traditions while adopting some ideals about land, agriculture, and family. He also warned Native Americans about the dangers of alcohol.
• The idea of returning to old traditions was proposed by Tenskwatawa (Shawnee leader). He strongly opposed the idea of assimilation and believed that his people would remain strong by keeping their identity.
• His brother, Tecumseh, was opposed to the Treaty of Fort Wayne and believed in more military action. He warned the governor of Indiana Territory, William Henry Harrison, that the Natives were planning a rebellion.
• Harrison responded by putting together a militia and marching to Tecumseh's village, known as Tippecanoe. Neither side won, but the morale of the Native Americans was broken
• Years later, the Native Americans join the British against the US in the War of 1812.
• Tecumseh fought very bravely in the War of 1812 but was ultimately killed in the Battle of Thames in Canada. Despite this, he is considered one of the greatest Native American leaders in history