Big Foot (Potawatomi leader) facts for kids

Big Foot (whose name in the Potawatomi language was Maungeezik, meaning “Big Foot”) was an important leader of the Prairie Band of the Potawatomi people. He lived near a lake called Kishwauketoe, which we now know as Geneva Lake in Wisconsin.

Big Foot and the War of 1812

Big Foot probably led his group in a battle during the War of 1812. This was the Battle of Fort Dearborn in Chicago. In this battle, a group of Potawatomi warriors fought against American soldiers. They defeated the soldiers and burned down Fort Dearborn.

After the War of 1812, the United States government kept a close eye on Big Foot. They sent people like the Odawa leader Shabbona and the British-Potawatomi trader Billy Caldwell to watch him. This made it harder for Big Foot to plan any more fights against the United States. He spent many years getting ready for more conflicts, but they never happened.

Protecting Potawatomi Lands

As more American settlers moved into their lands, especially after new lead mines opened, Big Foot took action. In 1828, he traveled to Green Bay. He met with leaders from the Ho-Chunk, Ojibwe, Odawa, and other Potawatomi groups.

Together, they signed a treaty with the United States. This agreement created a temporary border between their lands and the United States' territory. This border went through what is now Wisconsin and Illinois.

Relocation of the Potawatomi

Big Foot's group did not take part in the Black Hawk War of 1832. After that war, the Potawatomi people faced a difficult time. Big Foot then negotiated and signed the 1833 Treaty of Chicago. Through this treaty, a large area of land in southeastern Wisconsin and northeastern Illinois was given to the United States.

Because of this treaty, Big Foot and his Potawatomi group were moved from Geneva Lake. They were first relocated to the Platte River in Missouri. Later, they were moved again to Lawrence, Kansas.

Big Foot's Legacy Today

Today, several places around Geneva Lake are named after Big Foot. These names help remember his importance.

• The community of Big Foot Prairie in Wisconsin and Illinois.
• Big Foot Beach State Park in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
• Big Foot High School in Walworth, Wisconsin.
• Big Foot Country Club in Fontana-on-Geneva Lake, Wisconsin.
• The Big Foot Inn in Harvard, IL.

The original name for Geneva Lake in Wisconsin was actually Big Foot Lake.