Indigenous Pop. vs. White Settlers
How were the Indigenous Population so effective in fighting against the U.S. military?
The Indigenous Population was so effective in their fighting because they did not fight traditionally. Just like the Americans in the Revolutionary War, they used Guerrilla Warfare Tactics to hit and run, which was very effective because they attacked and left before anyone saw anything.
Who was Tecumseh and what was he generally known for?
Tecumseh was apart of the indigenous population and was generally known for creating the "Indian Confederacy" to stop westward expanding white settlement and being a co-creator, with his brother, of Prophetstown, an attraction for indigenous population.
How were the Indigenous Population able to pay for guns/relevant war supplies?
After the Revolutionary War ended, some of the British soldiers remained in North America but regrouped westward and created their own outpost. These soldiers were still loyal to the crown and after the U.S. started arising conflict with Great Britain and the Indigenous Population, theses soldiers were fighting with and supplying guns and ammo to the Indigenous population to try and stop westward expansion.
How did Tecumseh gain his respect as a war chief?
Tecumseh took part in a series of raids of Kentucky and Tennessee frontier settlements in the 1780s, and emerged as a prominent chief by 1800.
Who were the Red Sticks and what did they do?
Red Sticks (also Redsticks or Red Clubs), were named deriving from the red-painted war clubs of some Native American Creeks. This group became known as a resistance group to stop the increasing pressure of creek territory by European-American settlers. Red Sticks led a resistance movement against European-American pressure and encroachment, tensions that culminated in the outbreak of the Creek War in 1813. Initially a civil war among the Creek, the conflict drew in United States state forces while the nation was already engaged in the War of 1812 against the British.
Why did Tecumseh create the "Indian Confederacy"?
Tecumseh created the "Indian Confederacy" or the Pan-Indian Resistance because of growing westward expansion from white settlers. Tecumseh claimed that since "red men", indigenous population, owned all the land before white men arrived, it is theirs by right. In Tecumseh's call for all tribes to create the resistance, he states "red men, once a happy race, since made miserable by the white people."
What event stopped the growing powerful indigenous population resistance group and what happened?
The Battle of Tippecanoe. This battle between American Soldiers and the Indigenous Population resistance group is what really halted the resistance. As William Henry Harrison led roughly 1000 U.S. soldiers to the village of Prophetstown, he was met with a white flag. The Prophet, the brother of the war chief Tecumseh, stated that before any violence takes place, Tecumseh and Harrison should talk. Harrison agrees because of his tired men and as they waited for Tecumseh, who was not there, over night they were attacked by The Prophet and his Resistance. Although the attack was effective at first, the superior power and numbers the U.S. army had took place and many members of the resistance fled Prophetstown leaving it wide open for raid. In November of 1811, Harrison torched Prophetstown along with the resistance, as Tecumseh and the remaining members regrouped with the British during the war of 1812.
How did Prophetstown come to be and what happened to it?
Prophetstown was created after Tecumseh slowly transformed his brother's, the Prophet, religious following into a political movement. In 1808, there village moved to the juncture of Tippecanoe and Wabash Rivers, which continued to attract red men. After the loss of much Indian land at the Treaty of Fort Wayne (1809), Tecumseh gradually let his brother become the primary leader of the movement as Tecumseh traveled throughout the Midwest trying to unite all tribes to fight against westward expansion. In November of 1811, while Tecumseh was in the South recruiting, the U.S. sent forces on the town, which sparked the Battle of Tippecanoe. In the end, The Prophet fell, the U.S. burnt the settlement, and destroyed all the food supply, leaving nothing behind.
Why did none of the Resistance groups succeed in stopping westward expansion?
None of the resistance groups ever did achieve stopping the expansion Westward because they were never one cause. Although they had multiple groups trying to stop it, they were all spread out small factions compared the giant, one faction U.S. Tecumseh understood this as he was traveling throughout the Midwest arguing that if all the tribes do not come together and fight this issue together, the U.S. would destroy each of us one by one. Although it is a great argument, it was too late. The U.S. destroyed Prophetstown and the resistance was on fire. The main flaw the resistance lacked was UNITY.
What did Tecumseh do after the Battle of Tippecanoe?
After Tecumseh returned from the South, her tried rebuilding his destroyed resistance. When the war of 1812 broke out, he withdrew to Michigan where he continued his fight. He helped the British capture Detroit and led pro-British Indians in subsequent actions in Southern Michigan (Monguagon) and Northern Ohio (Fort Meigs). After upper Canada was invaded, Tecumseh retreated with the British and later died in the Battle of Thames on October 5, 1813.
What was the agenda or the goal of these events (What was it trying to teach)?
The agenda of history is very complex because, in this instance, both parties are fighting for their own best interest. Although, I do believe that everyone can learn that fighting for what is right is better than obeying something that is wrong even if you are going to lose. The Indigenous Population understand that going against the U.S. was going to be very hard and painful but they did anyways because they believed they were being violated by the expansion westward in their land and wanted an end to it. They knew if they did not step up and try to stop it, everything they worked hard for would be for nothing. I took from learning about the Indigenous Population's resistance of westward expansion that silencing yourself from justice because it would be nearly impossible to win and fight is not how Democracy is suppose to be. When too many people start become followers and no one challenges the government/people in charge, Democracy does not exist.
How are these historical events relevant today?
This is a part of history that is swept under the rug. Yes, in school students touch upon Westward Expansion and the eventual Trail of Tears, but the unethical movement into foreign lands the U.S. "owned" and how the Indigenous Population reacted is not talked about as much. Many people believe the Indigenous Population were blood thirsty war hawks who wanted war with the U.S. but that is simply not the case. Everyone should learn the truth that if the U.S. never invaded their land or forced them to sell their land, these vicious, barbaric people probably would have never fought back and stayed in the shadows of history. I also believe that this can be seen as a sign to not be silenced against injustice. Just like the Indigenous Population, sometimes in life people have to fight for what they want and that means fighting against powerful entities to restore what is right for you personally. Even today, we see what the Indigenous Population did, not to the same extinct but in Hong Kong their are protest, becoming violent, over a bill proposed by he Hong Kong government. Many people believe this bill is unjust and they decided to take a stand for what they believed in.
What is the Historical Context of this time period of history?
Westward Expansion all began with the Louisiana Purchase. The U.S. payed cheap money to a struggling French government in the Napoleonic Wars for almost doubling the U.S. territory. As everyone, the U.S. wanted to use what they just purchased and started expanding westward to farm, work, and live. The only problem was that the land was already being used, and has been for generations. The Indigenous Population did not believe the U.S. could buy land that was never owned by white men in the first place. While the Indigenous Population was ignored and the U.S. started to migrate, the Indigenous Population decided to rise up arms against this movement and its goal was to stop the encroachment on their lands. As fighting was not united and one by one destroyed, the cause for defending their land against the white settlers failed. The remaining activist for war joined the British in Michigan and Canada to fight the U.S. in the War of 1812, but eventually were defeated again, stopping the resistance.