Antonga Black Hawk facts for kids

Antonga, also known as Black Hawk, was an important Native American leader in the 1800s. He was a war chief of the Timpanogos Tribe, who lived in what is now Utah. Black Hawk led his people and their allies, including some Paiute and Navajo groups, in a conflict against Mormon settlers. This conflict is known as the Black Hawk War in Utah, which lasted from 1865 to 1872.

Black Hawk made peace in 1867. However, other Native American groups continued to fight until the United States Army stepped in with troops in 1872. Black Hawk passed away in 1870. He died from a serious wound he got in 1866 while trying to save another warrior. The wound never fully healed.

The names "Black Hawk" and "Antonga" were not originally from the Ute language. The name "Black Hawk" was given to him by Brigham Young, a leader of the Mormon settlers. This name became the one he is most known by today. There were other Native American leaders in Utah also called Black Hawk by white settlers. This name might remind some people of Chief Black Hawk of the Sauk and Fox tribes, who was involved in the Black Hawk War of 1832 in Illinois.

To the Mexicans, he was known as "Antonga." The Timpanogos people had traded with Mexicans for a long time. Black Hawk's father was Chief Sanpitch. The Timpanogos people were also known as "Timpanogostzis," which means "People of the Rock water carriers." This name referred to their connection to rock salt.

The land where the Timpanogos lived is now known as Utah. Important places like Mount Timpanogos, the Timpanogos River (now Provo River), and Utah Lake were named in honor of these people. In 1824, explorer Etienne Provost met the Timpanogos tribe living near the Timpanogos River and Lake. The city of Provo gets its name from this early explorer.

The Black Hawk War

Life Before the War

In 1847, the first Mormon pioneers arrived in the Utah territory. Native American tribes, like the Timpanogos, Paiute, and Navajo, had lived there for thousands of years. By 1865, the number of white settlers had grown a lot, to about 50,000. At the same time, the Timpanogos population was estimated to be around 15,000 to 20,000.

Life became very hard for the Timpanogos. Diseases like measles and smallpox spread, causing many deaths because the Native Americans had no natural protection against them. Also, Mormon farming changed the environment. This made it harder for the Timpanogos to find animals to hunt, which was their main food source. By 1865, many Timpanogos people were starving.

How the War Started

The Timpanogos had several chiefs. When Chief Wah-Kara died in 1855, his brother Arapeen became chief. After Arapeen died in 1860, his son Jake Arropeen became chief. In 1865, Native Americans and Mormon settlers were trying to make a peace agreement. During these talks, a settler named John Lowry pulled Chief Arropeen from his horse. This was a huge insult to the chief and his people.

In response to this insult and years of settlers taking their land, Black Hawk led a raid that day. His group took cattle from settlers and killed five men. Black Hawk was about 35 years old at the time. This event marked the beginning of what the Mormons called "The Black Hawk War."

Black Hawk's Leadership

The Black Hawk War in Utah lasted from 1865 to 1872. It involved 16 tribes of the Timpanogos, along with allied groups of Paiute and Navajo. They fought against the Mormon settlers. For a while, the US government did not help the Mormons. Many federal leaders wanted to reduce the power of the LDS Church in Utah. The Mormon settlers fought to keep control of their land, which had long been the traditional territory of the Ute people.

A historian named John Alton Peterson described Black Hawk as a very smart leader. He said Black Hawk was able to create a strong fighting force. He also planned clever strategies, showing he understood the economy, politics, and geography of the area. Black Hawk tried to stop white settlers from expanding into Native American lands. He even succeeded in pushing back the line of Mormon settlements. Many villages were left empty. For almost ten years, the expansion of white settlers in Utah stopped and even went backward in some areas. However, like other Native American leaders, Black Hawk could not hold his position forever.

Making Peace and the War's End

Ute history tells us that Black Hawk made peace with the "pale-faces" (white settlers) in 1867. He traveled to many white villages, from Cedar City to Payson. He asked the settlers to try and make peace. After he stepped down as a war leader, the fighting became less intense. However, raids continued until US forces finally got involved in 1872. Black Hawk died in 1870, before the war officially ended.

The Black Hawk War was not just one big battle. It was a series of many smaller raids and conflicts. More than 150 fights happened over seven years across Utah territory. The conflict also spread into Colorado, Idaho, and Wyoming. Even though settler migration slowed during the war, tens of thousands of Mormon pioneers soon entered the area again. By contrast, an official government count in 1909 showed that the Ute population had dropped to only 2,400 people.

See Also

• Black Hawk War (1865–1872)
• Timpanogos
• Ute people