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The War of 1812 Ends
After the War of 1812 ended, the Americans wanted to claim and expand to the land in the West. The Indians lived on the land the Americans wanted to claim. At first, the government leaned towards assimilating the Indians. Time proved that the Indian removal process was more efficient. Indian removal soon became the preferred way to claim the land the Indians were living on. -
Indiana Becomes a State
After the war is 1816, Indiana becomes a state. The settlers in Indiana wanted the Indians removed, but the settlers were eager, and wanted to settle the land quickly. Two thirds of the land was inhabited by Indians, and removing them was a federal issue. The government started to urge Indians into dept so they would be forced to leave their land. Indian traders were skeptical of the removal of Indians because it would affect their main profits, but they eventually came around to the process. -
Indian Removal Act
Congress finalized the removal of Indians is 1830 with the Indian Removal Act. This Act allowed President Andrew Jackson to force the Indians out of their territory and to the West. The whites were happy for they could now settle where the Indians had once lived. Jackson believed that the removal would be better for the Indians as well, for they could not come into contact with alcohol. The only problem was that the Indians did not want to leave. -
The Nine Treaties
The Indiana Potawatomi singed 9 treaties is 1836 saying that they would give their remaining reservations to the United States. The treaties gave the Indians a dollar for each acre of their land and gave them two years to move west of the Mississippi. -
The Treaty of the Yellow River
The Treaty of Yellow River was one of the nine treaties that gave up Indian reservation to the United States. It was signed by three chiefs to give up a parcel of land that included the reservation of Chief Menominee’s reservation. Chief Menominee’s signature was absent from the treaty and was furious when the found out his land was included in the treaty without his consent. He refused to move his people off the land since he had not signed the treaty. -
Deadline
This was the deadline for the Potawatomi to leave their land. This was exactly two years after the Treaty of Yellow River. Some Potawatomi had left the land, but the Menominee had not. White settlers had moved onto the Menominee’s land since the settlers had expected them to leave, but since they did not, fighting broke out. David Wallace, Indiana’s governor, ordered General John Tipton and armed state militia to arrest Menominee and other leaders and being the removal. -
The Trail Begins
850 Potawatomi, under armed guard, moved west towards Kansas. Rebellious chiefs, including Menominee, were put into caged wagon for the journey. The first of many deaths was on the second day of the journey, a baby. -
The Trail Ends
After traveling 660 miles, the Potawatomi had finally made it to Kansas. They reached Kansas soil two day prior to their arrival of their destination. 850 Potawatomi had started the trail, but only 810 of them finished it. Most of the deaths were children who were not old enough to endure the hardships found on the Trail of Death.
