February 1 discussion (Also used Feb 11, 2008 to begin discussion of the Satz volume)
Mike Easler
Chapter 1, Early Chippewa-U.S. Relations, first gives us an overview of the Chippewa people, describing the territory they covered and their lifestyles and organization. Living in the area around the Great Lakes, up into Canada and west into Minnesota, the Chippewa covered a vast area of forested land. Living as hunters and gatherers, the Indians hunted and fished, gathered wild rice and made maple syrup. As European fur traders entered the area, the Chippewa quickly obtained rifles and other objects, and life changed dramatically, becoming dependent upon the Europeans. As more and more settlers moved west, conflict grew.
The U.S. began dealing with the tribes as foreign nations as declared by the Constitution and the Northwest Ordinance, which stated land could only be taken by consent through treaties. In 1825 the treaty at Prairie du Chien applied tribal boundaries for all the regional Indian nations, as well as assuring an interest of U.S. peace with the Indians. This treaty also helped bring American influence into an area heavily influenced by the French and English. This, and other treaties, had no immediate effect on the Chippewa. By the 1830’s the tribes were deeply in debt to the fur trading companies, and the U.S. had control over the region. The Removal Act of 1830 tried to persuade the Indians to trade their land for land west of the Mississippi in Arkansas and Missouri, opening much of southwest Wisconsin to settlement.
Date created: June, 2002
Last modified: {Update}
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