Brittney Wedgewood
The 1842 Copper Treaty
Chapter 3
The Chippewa people have been collecting copper long before the whites came to America for the use of arrowheads, fishhooks, knives and bracelets. Once word got out there was copper the War Department officials wanted to acquire all Indian title to the Lake Superior shoreline. They did this by purchasing mining rights to the land on October 4th 1842, creating the Copper Treaty. This treaty boomed copper mining in the area and it also lead in copper production by 1890.
It was less than three months after the signing of the treaty there were problems
The lead negotiator for the Copper treaty was Robert Stuart. Who was know to use heavy handed tactics to get a treaty passed, Like on a Fond du Lac treaty, Stuart told them that
“ He knows that you are poor, that your lands are not good, and that you have very little game left, to feed and clothe your women & children- he therefore pities your condition and has sent me to see what can be done to benefit you”. He also made treaties when whole bands were absent. Stuart was not allowing the Indians enough time to deliberate on important issues.
The Chippewa believed that as long as they behaved and were orderly they could continue to hunt, fish, and gather while the whites made use of their land. For the most part the lived fine around one another trading with the miners and created economic and social bonds. Later on though treaty commissioners obtained land cessions and told the Chippewa to relocate across the Mississippi on a reduced land base, which was going to supposedly force the Chippewa to resort to a more civilized lifestyle. The Commissioner Medill used the control of liquor in Indian country as a reason for promoting the removal of Wisconsin bands.
The whites started to take over the land and try to push the Indians past the Mississippi. The Indians felt like they were being robbed of their rights. Chief White Crow said to Stuart that, “ I understand you to say that you want the mineral, well then I comply with the wish or our Great Father in asking me to sell him the mineral he wants. I do not give you the land, It’s the mineral only that I sell if there is any found on my land. I do not cede the land….”
Date created: June, 2002
Last modified: {Update}
Copyright ©2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 George R. Spangler