Federal Road (Creek lands) facts for kids
The Federal Road was an important path built a long time ago in the United States. It helped people travel and send mail across the country. This road went through the lands of the Creek people, who are a Native American group.
Contents
The Federal Road: A Path Through History
The story of the Federal Road began in 1805. At that time, the Creek people gave permission for a "horse path" to be built through their land. This path was meant to make mail delivery faster. It connected Washington, D.C. (then called Washington City) with New Orleans, which was in the Louisiana Territory.
The First Section of the Road
The very first part of this road started near Milledgeville, Georgia, at a place called Fort Wilkinson. It then stretched all the way to Fort Stoddert, which was close to Mobile, Alabama. This made it much easier to send letters and messages across a large part of the country.
Expanding the Road for Travel
By the time of the War of 1812, the Federal Road had grown. It started in Augusta, Georgia. From there, it went through Fort Hawkins near Macon, Georgia. The road continued to Fort Mitchell, Alabama, which is close to modern-day Phenix City, Alabama. It even connected to another path called the Three Notch Road, which led to Pensacola in what was then Spanish West Florida.
From Mail Route to War Road
At first, the Federal Road was mainly used for mail. But things changed around 1811. The path was made wider and became known as a "war road." This wider road was used during the Creek War, which happened between 1813 and 1814.
The Impact on the Creek People
The use of the Federal Road during the war had a big impact on the Creek people. After the war, many Creek people had to move from their homes. They were relocated to lands farther west in the Western United States.
Another Important Federal Road
There was also another important path known as a Federal Road. This one went from Savannah, Georgia, through the northern part of Georgia. It ended in Knoxville, Tennessee. This road helped open up land that belonged to the Cherokee people for new settlements.
