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War of 1812 Ended
After the War of 1812 ended with a stalemate, the American government’s main priority was to expand. In order to expand, the American government had to find a way to deal with Native Americans, and they were determined to not let that obstacle get in their way. At the time, many Americans were coming to the Indiana territory. -
Indiana Becomes a State
At that time, the Miami and the Potawatomi are the most numerous tribes remaining, and they were spread throughout Indiana. Hoosiers were waiting on the Federal Government to decide what to do with the Native Americans who were occupying land in Indiana. The government was trying to convince Indian traders to make the Indians go in debt so they would get off of the land. -
Indian Removal Act
Andrew Jackson was given permission to force Native Americans off of their land. Many Indiana residents were thankful for the act because it gave them the chance to more fully develop their growing state. Many people rationalized the Indian Removal Act because Jackson said that this would be good for the Native Americans by getting them away from American culture. -
The Treaty of the Yellow River
The Treaty of the Yellow River was one of the most important of the nine treaties signed by the Potawatomi. Three Native American chiefs signed over most of the land including most of Chief Menominee’s, but Menominee’s signature was missing from that treaty. When he learned about this, he was outraged and refused to move. -
Potawatomi Deadline to Vacate their Land
After the Indian Removal Act was passed, the Native Americans were given until August 5 to gather their things and get off of their land, and even though many Potawatomi had already left, Menominee and others had not. Whites had already started to arrive on the land, and when they realized that there were still Native Americans there, violence erupted. This led to the Indiana Governor David Wallace ordering General John Tipton to arrest the remaining Potawatomi, and to burn the town. -
Potawatomi Trail of Death Begins
This was the date that the Potawatomi were forced out of Indiana and made to go to Kansas. More than 850 Potawatomi were heavily guarded on their passage. The most rebellious of the buch were confined to caged wagons. The weather was very hot and dry, in fact, a baby died on the second day, the first of many deaths to come. -
Potawatomi Crossed the Mississippi
On this date, the Potawatomi crossed the Mississippi and made it into Missouri. The Mississippi river was crossed by means of ferries. It took the Potawatomi about a month to fully get through the state of Missouri. -
The Potawatomi Make it to Kansas
The Potawatomi tribe touched Kansas soil for the very first time on November 2, 1838. After traveling around 660 miles in two months, they reached their final destination of Osawatomie, Kansas on November 4, 1838. Of the original 850 Potawatomis who set off from Indiana, over 40 of them died on the journey, and most of them were children.
