For the first day of my A to Z Challenge, I resisted choosing the arena for the War of 1812 – America. But first what caused the conflict? Unsettled issues between the British and the United States after the War of Independence were a factor, as was the Royal Navy attempting to press gang American sailors. However, the US also thought that American settlers in the territory that would become Canada would support their invasion across the border. Canada then consisted of the maritime colonies and parts of southern Quebec and Ontario. But let’s start with the First Nations, who were the other major players on both sides.
A is for the Anishinaabe (Ojibwe, Odawa, Potowatomi), who were among two dozen tribal nations that were involved in the conflict.
When war was declared, there were 8,410 warriors of the Western Confederacy, who included Ojibwe, Odawa, Potowatomi, Huron, Shawnee, Mississaugas, Nipissings and Algonkians. The Anishinaabe made up 7,410 of this number, an overwhelming majority. Although the Shawnee war chief Tecumseh is most associated with the war, it was the Anishinaabe that formed the majority.
The tribes met for military and political purposes and maintained relations with fellow Anishinaabeg nations (Mississauga, Algonquin, and Nipissing) from Michilimackinac, an island between Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, It’s always been revered, although opinion is divided whether it is because the island is the turtle of creation or the place of origin of the spirits now called Bgoji-anishnaabensag.
Major General Brock, aware that there were not enough regular forces available to defend Upper Canada, suggested that capturing Michilimackinac and Detroit, from the US, would allay the suspicions of the natives who no longer trusted the British after the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1796. The chiefs constantly recalled when the Americans overpowered the Western Confederacy and the British abandoned the retreating Anishinaabeg to massacre, by locking the gates to Fort Miami.
When Brock’s forces fought alongside the Anishinaabe to secure Fort Michilimackinac, many more of the western nations joined the British.
Throughout the war, the Anishinaabe were repeatedly told that their interests would not be forgotten when peace was made. So much so that at the conclusion of the War of 1812, the Odawa suggested that the British negotiators offer the Americans a greater quantity of Anishinaabe land on the mainland in order to keep Michilimackinac in their possession.
The possibility was there, but in the end the British meekly vacated Michilimackinac to the United States. It is totally conceivable that at least a portion of upper Michigan or Wisconsin could have been set aside as an “Indian country” as the British had promised. The mechanisms were in place but not the honour. This is why the Anishinaabeg say that “we did not lose the war but we lost the peace”.
Further reading on the Anishinaabe and the War of 1812:
http://activehistory.ca/tag/anishinaabeg/
http://activehistory.ca/2014/09/anishnaabeg-in-the-war-of-1812-more-than-tecumseh-and-his-indians/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anishinaabe
http://www.theworldofgord.com/2012/11/heritage-toronto-talk-anishinaabe-first.html
The brainchild of Arlee Bird, at Tossing it Out, the A to Z Challenge is posting every day in April except Sundays (we get those off for good behaviour.) And since there are 26 days, that matches the 26 letters of the alphabet. On April 1, we blog about something that begins with the letter “A.” April 2 is “B,” April 3 is “C,” and so on. Please visit other challenge writers.
My theme is ‘The War of 1812’, a military conflict, lasting for two-and-a-half years, fought by the United States of America against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, its North American colonies, and its American Indian allies. The Memoirs of a British naval officer from the war is central to my novel “Seeking A Knife” – part of the Snowdon Shadows series.
Further reading on The War of 1812:
http://www.eighteentwelve.ca/?q=eng
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/the-war-of-1812-stupid-but-important/article547554/
That’s so interesting. I know a part of the story. Tecumse is one of my heroes 😉
You know a fanny part? Though the ghost in my story (who’s a Pottawatomi woman) was too young in 1812, the coins that carry her curse came from a war that same year near Chicago, knows as the Dearborn Massacre.
Funny, don’t you think? 🙂
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Funny strange. I will check out that massacre, That active history link has some interesting articles about the Anishinaabe by a tribal historian/researcher – not all are 1812 articles.
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I now consider myself more educated. The Anishinaabe were really screwed over weren’t they.
Tasha
Tasha’s Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)
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Screwed, hung out to dry, and then forgotten. History is what the victors write.
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Interesting! It is always good to learn more about First Nations history. You have a great theme going here.
Happy A to Z!
@TarkabarkaHolgy from
Multicolored Diary – Epics from A to Z
MopDog – 26 Ways to Die in Medieval Hungary
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Thanks and will be following your epic thing 🙂
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Thanks for sharing this part of history. I admit I know appallingly little about the war of 1812. It’ll be nice to learn more over the course of the month.
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Its been a fascinating period to research – hence my A to Z theme.
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That was fascinating. I had no idea.
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It was new to me until I dug deeper.
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Wow, love the history! I’m with Pam’s An Unconventional Alliance, a fellow A to Zer. Good luck on the challenge!
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Thanks Linda. Will head over to Pam’s for an A to Z read and to find out how Unconventional you all are 🙂
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Now realize that you are a brave minion – best of luck.
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Pingback: B is for Brock | Writing Wings
As typical, Native Americans lost the most in the end. Just making it over here. Wanted to start from the beginning 🙂
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Sadly that is correct – the losers were the First Nations. The other combatants won something and lost a bit, but not to the same extent. They weren’t even rewarded for helping win battles – as my F and P will show.
I need to visit more – once I’m on top of work.
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