The+Iowa+Indians+in+a+1954+Account

Original Author: Eric Schleisman, A&S195 SP10 Revision Author **Negative Propaganda ** Native Americans lived for centuries on land that we now occupy; they lived without altering the landscape in a negative way. Still many times they were perceived as brutal, savage enemies of the white man. When read back in many history books it reads as though Native Americans were the enemy, when in fact the European settlers were the invaders. Pushing onto land that was already occupied and staking claim too it. The American Indians were robbed of their homeland and forced to live under the rule of an invasive government. After the land was stolen from many tribe’s authors in the United States began to publish “negative propaganda” about these great people. Throughout my research I discovered one book that seemed to make horrible accusations and claims of savage, animalistic behavior demonstrated by these once peaceful people. In the book “The Iowa Indians” by Peter Christensen American Indians are perceived as savage people. In a chapter titled “Incidents” Native Americans are depicted as being cold blooded killers, who lack feelings and a sense of decency. Describing the settlement of Des Moines Native Americans are described as being beggars and petty thieves (Christensen 49). An “Indian Scare” is also discussed in what is now Muscatine County. The story gives a setting around 1836- 1837, a settler by the name of Suel Foster was attacked by several Native Americans for his supply of whiskey, after cutting the Indians off from his supply of whiskey he was threatened to the point of going to get help. After fleeing to secure help he heard a shotgun in the distance, this was the Indians trying to break the whiskey barrel. The man fled to the nearest town and claimed that they murdered his whole family. This of course was untrue and the “braves” eventually set fire to the grass, fired a few shots from a rifle, and quietly entered their canoes and left. (Christensen 51) Stories like this one seem to be a complete elaboration of the truth. These stories all have the same thing in common, the Native American is the savage beast and the white man is portrayed as the innocent victim trying to live off of the land. In reality Native Americans occupied this land centuries before European settlers and were pushed off as they watched their land go through the early stages of industrialization. Now American Indians are given land that no one wants to care for as a “cop out” by the government. From a social standpoint American Indians are “behind”. Trying to keep whatever traditional values remain alive while trying to adapt to today’s ever changing world has left them at a standstill. Society expects them to conform and become “normal”, traditional values and their old practices make them normal. “The future prospects of the little Meskwakie community are encouraging. The people, though still primitive in their many ways, are making progress materially and socially” (Christensen 88). Christensen tries to justify the treatment of the American Indian in the closing chapter of his book. “Something of the wild primitive spirit should be kept alive within him. He should nourish the will to independence, but adjust it to life in a civilized community. He should learn that the Great White Father in Washington means well and that the white man is his best friend” (Christensen 88). There is no justification that can be made for what the American Indian has been through. An effort can be made, but offering small pieces of land that no one else wants is not the way to approach the problem. **Christensen’s Account ** The area that is known as the Quad cities was once an area occupied by many different tribes of Native Americans. Before white settlers came to the area Native Americans were very prominent, in Iowa tribes numbered above 20 (Christensen). These tribes were apart of three language groups, the Caddoan, the Siouan, and the Algonkian. One tribe of the Caddoans occupied hunting grounds in Iowa; other branches of the tribe were occupying the plains to the southwest of Iowa (Christensen 10). Several other tribes belonged to the Siouan group. These tribes were referred to as the Dakotas, also known as the Sioux. The Winnebagos, the Omahas, the Otoes, the Missouris, and the Iowas. Other members of this tribe were prevalent on the Atlantic Seaboard and the Southern states (Christensen 10). The Algonkian group included the Sacs and Foxes, the Potawatomi’s, the Mascoutins, and a group of other tribes who only occupied Iowa for a short time (Christensen 10). After America was discovered by Columbus the Europeans learned about areas of the Lower Mississippi River. More then a century and a half after discovering the Lower Mississippi the Upper half was still undiscovered (Christensen 18). After hearing of a large river to the southwest the interest to find out where it emptied prompted an expedition. Five wood rangers, led by a local trader Louis Joliet and Father Jacques Marquette set out from Northern Michigan (Christensen 18). Traveling the northern shore of Lake Michigan these explorers passed through the Fox River, stopping to rest they were greeted by a tribe of Algonkian Indians. Father Marquette was able to communicate with this tribe, the explorers were warned not to travel farther west (Christensen 18). The men were accompanied west and they discovered two other villages, they were greeted at the village by four warriors. The chief of the tribe welcomed them with open arms inviting them to smoke peace pipes with the tribe. Father Marquette was able to identify these tribes as Algonkians, this particular tribe belonged to the Illini confederation (Christensen 19). This tribe was known as the Peorias who crossed the Mississippi to escape their enemies, the Iroquois. This was the first time the white man entered Iowa. Blackhawk is a very famous Sac war chief, he is known in our area, most commonly in Rock Island. Born on the Rock river Blackhawk gained his fame as a warrior, and at the young age of 15 he “distingushed himself in war by wounding an enemy” (Christensen 27). As the leader of the Sac tribe Blackhawk was willing to sell some land to the federal government. In 1804 Thomas Jefferson instructed William Henry Harrison to purchase the Illinois land from the Sac and Fox Indians (Christensen 29). With a down payment of 2,000 dollars and an annuity of 1,000 dollars to be paid to the tribe every year, in 1830 the sum totaled around 27,000. Blackhawk was angry about the forfeiture of these lands, “he protested against the building of Fort Armstrong” which is now present day Rock Island (Christensen 30). Around the time of President Andrew Jackson the United States had decided to create a “general Indian policy” (Christensen 36). In accordance to this policy large groups of Indians were to be removed and placed west of the Mississippi. The tribes in Iowa began to dispose of their lands in 1824, although whites didn’t begin to occupy Iowa until after the Blackhawk war (Christensen 36). In September of 1832 Indian representatives and representatives of the United States met where the city of Davenport stands today. According to the negotiations that took place the Sac and Fox tribe agreed to “vacate and sell to the United States a contract of land containing about 6,000,000 acres. The tract extended from 40 to 50 miles westward from the Mississippi, and from the Upper Iowa River on the north to the Iowa-Missouri border on the south” (Christensen 36, 37). For this land the United States agreed to pay the Indians: 20,000 a year for 30 years. Also each year for 30 years 40 kegs of tobacco and 40 barrels of salt. One additional black and gunsmith shop to be maintained for 30 years. The United States undertook to pay 40,000 to the traders Davenport and Farnham. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">35 beef cattle <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">20 bushels of salt <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">30 barrels of pork <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">50 barrels of flour <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">6,000 bushels of corn. **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Conclusion ** <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“In 1838 the Iowas sold their claims to lands in Iowa for 157,000. This amount was held in trust by the United States. Interest at the rate of 5% was to be paid to the Iowas annually” (Christensen 40). “The whites now owned all of Iowa. A total of nearly three million dollars had been paid to the Indians. But in addition to this they were given reservations in other parts of the country. And as wards of the United States they enjoyed other advantages, after all Uncle Sam was a kind uncle to his Red children” (Christensen 40). <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I would like the reader to keep in mind that this information was derived from a book written by a white man, at the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement. Native Americans were moving towards rights at this time they were just “overshadowed” by the African American movement. The use of words like “Red Children”, “Red Men”, “Rude Sons”, and “vicious savages” are not condoned nor warranted. In the preface of this book Christensen claims that this history has been compiled using the best available primary and secondary sources available, adding that “They are given here as originally written with but a few changes in form and wording” (Christensen, preface). Whether the reader believes these claims or not lies upon them. **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Works Cited ** <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Christensen, Thomas Peter. __The Iowa Indians, A Brief History.__ Iowa City: Athens, 1954 <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Return to Native Americans <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Return to Home
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Iowa Indians in a 1954 Account **