Black Hawk (Sauk leader) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Black Hawk
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| Mahkatêwe-meshi-kêhkêhkwa | |
Portrait by George Catlin, 1832
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| Born | c. 1767 |
| Died | October 3, 1838 (aged 70–71) Davis County, Iowa, U.S.
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| Monuments | Black Hawk Statue, Black Hawk State Historic Site |
| Other names | Black Sparrow Hawk |
| Occupation | Chieftain |
| Known for | Black Hawk War |
Black Hawk, whose original name was Mahkatêwe-meshi-kêhkêhkwa, was a brave Sauk leader and warrior. He lived in the area we now call the Midwestern United States from about 1767 to 1838. Even though he wasn't born a hereditary chief, he became a respected war leader. He earned this title by leading his people in battles and protecting their lands.
Black Hawk fought in the War of 1812 alongside the British. He hoped to keep American settlers from moving onto Sauk lands. Later, in 1832, he led a group of Sauk and Meskwaki warriors, called the British Band, in a conflict known as the Black Hawk War. This war took place in what is now Illinois and Wisconsin.
After the war, Black Hawk was captured by US forces. He was taken on a tour of several cities in the Eastern United States. Before his release, he shared his life story with an interpreter. This led to the publication of his autobiography in 1833. It was one of the first books written by a Native American in the US and became very popular. Black Hawk passed away in 1838. Today, he is remembered through his book, many places named after him, and other honors.
Contents
Who Was Black Hawk?
His Early Life
Black Hawk was born around 1767 in the village of Saukenuk. This village was located on the Rock River, in what is now Rock Island, Illinois. His Sauk name, Mahkatêwe-meshi-kêhkêhkwa, means "large black hawk." Black Hawk's father, Pyesa, was the medicine man for the Sauk people.
We don't know much about Black Hawk's childhood. It is said he was a descendant of Nanamakee, a Sauk chief. Nanamakee was believed to have met an early French explorer.
When Black Hawk was about 15, he showed great courage in battle. He proved himself by defeating an enemy. This earned him a place among the Sauk warriors. Soon after, he joined his father, Pyesa, on a raid against the Osage. He gained respect by successfully fighting his first enemy.
The young Black Hawk wanted to become a war captain. He led more raids, but with mixed results at first. Around age 19, he led 200 men in a battle against the Osage. He showed great skill and bravery in this fight. Later, he joined his father in a battle against the Cherokee people. His father, Pyesa, was hurt in this battle and passed away. Black Hawk then inherited his father's sacred bundle. This gave him a very important role within his tribe.
A Respected War Leader
After a time of mourning for his father, Black Hawk continued to lead his people in battles. He often led raids against the Osage, who were a traditional enemy. Black Hawk was not born into a family that produced hereditary civil chiefs. Instead, he earned his leadership role through his bravery and success as a warrior.
People sometimes called leaders like Black Hawk "war chiefs." However, historians now often use terms like "war leaders" or "war captains." This is because their role was different from that of a civil chief. War leaders gained their power through their actions and ability to guide their people in times of conflict.
Fighting in the War of 1812
When the War of 1812 began, Black Hawk was about 45 years old. He led a group of about 200 Sauk warriors from his village of Saukenuk. Black Hawk believed that the Treaty of St. Louis (1804) was not fair. This treaty had given away Sauk lands, including Saukenuk, to the United States. He felt that the Sauk leaders who signed it did not have the right to do so.
The War of 1812 was fought between Great Britain and the United States. Great Britain needed help from Native American tribes to fight in the Great Lakes region. A Scottish fur trader named Robert Dickson gathered many Native American allies. These included warriors from the Potawatomi, Ho-Chunk, Kickapoo, and Ottawa tribes. Black Hawk and his 200 Sauk warriors joined this alliance.
Dickson recognized Black Hawk as a leader. He gave Black Hawk a special rank, a silk flag, a medal, and a certificate of alliance with the British. Black Hawk kept this certificate for many years.
During the war, Black Hawk and his warriors fought in several battles near Lake Erie. He was involved in battles like Battle of Frenchtown and Fort Meigs. Many lives were lost in these conflicts. Black Hawk felt sad about the losses and returned home for a time. When he returned to Saukenuk, he found that his rival, Keokuk, had become a prominent war leader.
Black Hawk later rejoined the British efforts. He fought alongside British forces in campaigns along the Mississippi River. He helped the British push American forces out of the upper Mississippi River valley. After the War of 1812 ended, Black Hawk signed a peace treaty in May 1816. He later said he was not fully aware of all its terms.
The Black Hawk War
The 1804 treaty caused many problems. The American government believed the Sauk and Meskwaki tribes had given up their lands in Illinois. In 1828, they were asked to move west of the Mississippi River. Black Hawk and other tribal members disagreed with this treaty. They said their leaders had signed it without the full agreement of the tribe.
Black Hawk was upset about losing his homeland. Between 1830 and 1831, he led groups of people back into Illinois. Each time, he was convinced to return west without any fighting.
In April 1832, Black Hawk led his "British Band" of over 1,500 people into Illinois. This group included warriors, older people, women, and children. He hoped to find allies from other tribes and from Britain. When he found no allies, he tried to return to Iowa. However, a group of Illinois soldiers attacked his band. This event, known as the Battle of Stillman's Run, started the Black Hawk War.
Many battles and skirmishes followed. The governors of Michigan Territory and Illinois gathered their soldiers to find Black Hawk's Band. This conflict became the last major Native American war fought east of the Mississippi River.
Black Hawk's British Band included members of the Sauk, Meskwaki, and Kickapoo tribes. They crossed the river and headed towards the village of the Ho-Chunk prophet White Cloud. As the war continued, some warriors from other tribes joined Black Hawk.
The war lasted from April to August 1832. Black Hawk led his men in battles like the Battle of Wisconsin Heights. Eventually, the Illinois and Michigan Territory soldiers caught up with Black Hawk's band at Bad Axe. Many lives were lost in this final confrontation. On August 27, 1832, Black Hawk and another leader, Wabokieshiek, tried to surrender. They were taken into custody by US forces.
Journey to the East
After the war, Black Hawk and other leaders were held at Jefferson Barracks in Missouri. After eight months, in April 1833, they were taken on a tour of the Eastern United States. U.S. President Andrew Jackson wanted them to see the power of the United States. They traveled by steamboat, carriage, and train, meeting large crowds everywhere.
In Washington, D.C., they met with President Jackson. Afterward, they were held for a few weeks at Fortress Monroe in Hampton, Virginia. While there, artists painted their portraits.
On June 5, 1833, the men were sent west on a long journey through many big cities. Again, they were a spectacle, greeted by huge crowds in cities like Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York. However, closer to the battle areas, the reception was different. In Detroit, for example, crowds showed their anger towards the prisoners.
His Autobiography
Near the end of his captivity in 1833, Black Hawk shared his life story. He told it to Antoine LeClaire, a government interpreter. A local reporter, J.B. Patterson, helped put Black Hawk's story into a book. This book was one of the first autobiographies published by a Native American in the US. It quickly became very popular.
Some people questioned if Black Hawk truly wrote the book himself. However, both LeClaire and Patterson signed a document saying the story was authentic. Black Hawk himself also confirmed that the autobiography was his true story.
Black Hawk's Leadership and Rivals
Black Hawk was not a hereditary chief, but he became a strong leader for the Sauk people. In 1804, a Sauk leader named Quashquame signed a treaty that gave away much of the Sauk homeland. This included their main village, Saukenuk. Black Hawk believed this treaty was unfair and that Quashquame had been misled.
Black Hawk wrote in his autobiography about the treaty:
It later seemed that they had been confused for most of the time in St. Louis. This was all my nation and I knew of the 1804 treaty. It has since been explained to me. I found that by that treaty, all the land east of the Mississippi was given to the United States for a small payment each year. I ask the people of the United States if our nation was truly represented in this treaty? Or if we received fair payment for the large amount of land given away by these four individuals? This treaty has been the start of all our serious problems with the white settlers.
Because of his role in the 1804 treaty, Quashquame lost much of his standing among the Sauk. Black Hawk did not directly challenge Quashquame, but his own importance grew as Quashquame's faded. Quashquame preferred to avoid conflict with the U.S., while Black Hawk did not.
Another important rival for Black Hawk was Keokuk. Keokuk was a Sauk war chief who was well-regarded by the U.S. government. They saw him as calm and willing to negotiate. Black Hawk, however, did not like Keokuk. He thought Keokuk was not brave and only cared about himself. After the Black Hawk War, US officials chose Keokuk as the main Sauk leader. They would only deal with him.
Later Years and Legacy
After his tour of the East, Black Hawk lived with the Sauk people in what is now southeastern Iowa. He sometimes attended meetings between the Sauk, Meskwaki, and the government. However, he no longer had much power. Towards the end of his life, he tried to make peace with both American settlers and his Sauk rivals, including Keokuk.
In 1838, the year he passed away, Black Hawk gave a speech at Fort Madison. He said:
It has pleased the Great Spirit that I am here today—I have eaten with my white friends. The earth is our mother—we are now on it, with the Great Spirit above us; it is good. I hope we are all friends here. A few winters ago I was fighting against you. I did wrong, perhaps, but that is past—it is buried—let it be forgotten.
Rock River was a beautiful country. I liked my towns, my cornfields and the home of my people. I fought for it. It is now yours. Keep it as we did—it will produce you good crops.
I thank the Great Spirit that I am now friendly with my white brethren. We are here together, we have eaten together; we are friends; it is his wish and mine. I thank you for your friendship.
I was once a great warrior; I am now poor. Keokuk has been the cause of my present situation; but I do not attach blame to him. I am now old. I have looked upon the Mississippi since I have been a child. I love the great river. I have dwelt upon its banks from the time I was an infant. I look upon it now. I shake hands with you, and as it is my wish, I hope you are my friends.
Black Hawk died on October 3, 1838, after two weeks of illness. He was buried on a friend's farm in Davis County, Iowa. Sadly, his remains were later taken from his grave. They were eventually destroyed when a building where they were kept burned down in 1855. There is a memorial marker for him at the Iowaville Cemetery.
Black Hawk's wife was named As-she-we-qua, or Singing Bird. They had five children. His oldest son and youngest daughter passed away before 1820. According to Sauk tradition, Black Hawk spent two years mourning their loss. His other children were a daughter named Namequa and two sons, Nasheakusk and Gamesett.
Honoring Black Hawk Today
Black Hawk's autobiography, Life of Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak, was published in 1833. It remains an important historical document.
Today, Black Hawk is seen as a tragic hero. Many things are named after him to honor his memory. These include roads, sports teams, and schools. The Black Hawk War is one of the few wars in US history named after a person.
- The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, used by the US military, is named after him.
- Black Hawk County, Iowa, and the Black Hawk Bridge are named in his honor.
- The Chicago Blackhawks hockey team is indirectly named after him. Their first owner named the team after his military unit, which was nicknamed the "Black Hawk Division."
- The Atlanta Hawks basketball team was originally called the Tri-Cities Blackhawks, also named for the Black Hawk War.
- Blackhawk Middle School in Bensenville, Illinois, and Black Hawk College in Moline, Illinois, carry his name.
- Many high school athletic teams, such as those in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, are nicknamed the "Blackhawks."
See also
In Spanish: Halcón Negro (jefe tribal) para niños
