A retelling of the Black Hawk War that brings into focus the forces struggling for control over the American frontier. Until 1822, the Sauk Nation occupied one of North America's largest and most prosperous Indian settlements, the envy of white Americans who had already begun to encroach upon the rich Indian land. When the inevitable conflicts turned violent, the Sauks were forced into exile, banished forever from the east side of the Mississippi River. Black Hawk and his followers rose up in the spring of 1832 and defiantly crossed the Mississippi from Iowa to Illinois to reclaim their ancestral home. Though the war lasted only three months, no other violent encounter between white America and native peoples embodies so clearly the essence of the Republic's inner conflict between its belief in freedom and human rights and its insatiable appetite for new territory.--From publisher description.
In 1832, facing white expansion, the Sauk warrior Black Hawk attempted to forge a pan-Indian alliance to preserve the homelands of the confederated Sauk and Fox tribes on the eastern bank of the Mississippi. Here, Patrick J. Jung re-examines the causes, course, and consequences of the ensuing war with the United States, a conflict that decimated Black Hawk's band. Correcting mistakes that plagued previous histories, and drawing on recent ethnohistorical interpretations, Jung shows that the outcome can be understood only by discussing the complexity of intertribal rivalry, military ineptitude, and racial dynamics.
Completely updated and expanded, Black Hawk and the Warrior's Path is a masterful account of the life of the Sauk warrior and leader, and his impact on the history of early America. The period between 1760 and 1840 is brought to life through vivid discussion of Native American society and traditions, Western frontier expansion, and US-Native American politics and conflicts Updates include: 1 new map, 8 new images, a revised bibliographic essay incorporating the latest research, a timeline, and 8 concise, reorganized chapters with key terms and study questions Accessibly written by a noted expert in the field, students will understand key themes and find meaningful connections among historical events in Native American and 18th century American history