Restoring the Chain of Friendship: British Policy and the Indians of the Great Lakes, 1783-1815During the American Revolution the British enjoyed a unified alliance with their Native allies in the Great Lakes region of North America. By the War of 1812, however, that ?chain of friendship? had devolved into smaller, more local alliances. To understand how and why this pivotal shift occurred, Restoring the Chain of Friendship examines British and Native relations in the Great Lakes region between the end of the American Revolution and the end of the War of 1812. ø Timothy D. Willig traces the developments in British-Native interaction and diplomacy in three regions: those served by the agencies of Fort St. Joseph, Fort Amherstburg, and Fort George. During the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, the Native peoples in each area developed unique relationships with the British. Relations in these regions were affected by such factors as the local success of the fur trade, Native relations with the United States, geography, the influence of British-Indian agents, intertribal relations, Native acculturation or cultural revitalization, and constitutional issues of Native sovereignty and legal statuses. Assessing the wide variety of factors that influenced relations in each of these areas, Willig determines that it was nearly impossible for Britain to establish a single Indian policy for its North American borderlands, and it was thus forced to adapt to conditions and circumstances particular to each region. |
Contents
The Chain of Friendship in the Colonial Past | 1 |
1 The Quest for a Just Peace 178395 | 11 |
2 A New Diplomacy at Amherstburg 17961803 | 59 |
3 BritishIndian Relations in the North 17961802 | 91 |
4 A New Society on the Grand River 17841801 | 123 |
5 John Norton and the Continuing Struggle at the Grand River 180112 | 161 |
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Common terms and phrases
agents allies American Amherstburg attempted August authority became believed Brant Brit Britain British British-Indian Captain chief claimed Claus Colonial commandant Company confederacy considered continued council Delawares Detroit Elliott Father followers former Fort French Friendship further gifts Glaize governor Grand River groups held Historical Historical Collections hoped Indian Affairs Indian Department influence interests Iroquois Jacket John John Norton Johnson Joseph Journal July June Lakes land late later leaders letter Lieutenant Little lived Mackinac Major Maumee McKee McLean Miami Michigan Military Mississaugas Mohawk movement Native never North northern Norton officers Ohio Ojibwas once Ottawas peace Portland Potawatomis present Prophet regarding region relations remained Russell Russell Correspondence September served Shawnee Simcoe Six Nations speech status Tecumseh territory Thomas tion trade Treaty tribes United Upper Canada Valley village wanted warriors West western White Wyandots