Fort Christanna facts for kids
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Fort Christanna
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 Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Lawrenceville, Virginia |
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| Area | 436 acres (176 ha) |
| Built | 1714 |
| Built by | Spotswood, Alexander |
| NRHP reference No. | 80004175 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | July 16, 1980 |
Fort Christanna was a special fort built in Virginia Colony in 1714. It was one of the big projects of Lieutenant Governor Alexander Spotswood, who was in charge of Virginia from 1710 to 1722. The fort was made to protect and educate Native American tribes living southwest of the settled areas of Virginia. These tribes included the Siouan and Iroquoian peoples.
Fort Christanna was located in what is now Brunswick County, Virginia, near Gholsonville. It was considered the westernmost outpost of the British Empire at the time. The fort worked well for three years before the House of Burgesses (Virginia's government) decided to close it in 1718. However, some tribes, like the Saponi and Tutelo, continued to live on the land around the fort for many more years.
Why Fort Christanna Was Built
After a conflict called the Tuscarora War began in 1711, Governor Spotswood had an idea. He wanted to create a fort where certain Native American tribes could live. These tribes had agreements with the Virginia Colony since 1677.
The fort would offer them:
- Protection from other hostile tribes.
- A place for trading goods.
- A school for their children to learn English culture.
In late 1713, the Virginia government (the Burgesses) approved his plan. The fort would be managed by a new group called the Virginia Indian Company. This company had a "monopoly," meaning they were the only ones allowed to trade with the Native Americans at the fort.
Life at Fort Christanna
In 1714, Governor Spotswood himself visited the chosen site for the fort. He successfully convinced several Siouan tribes, including the Saponi, Tutelo, Occaneechi, and Nahyssan, to move to the surveyed land. However, the Iroquoian tribes in Virginia, the Nottoway and Meherrin, refused to join them. They did not want to live with the Siouan tribes.
Spotswood named the fort "Christ-Anna." This name honored both Christ and Queen Anne, who passed away later that year. The fort was built using the best fort-building ideas of the time. It was shaped like a pentagon (a five-sided shape). At each of its five corners, there was a blockhouse with a large 1400-pound cannon. These cannons were placed 100 yards apart, so each could see and protect the areas between them.
Inside the fort, there was a school for Native American children. A teacher named Charles Griffin taught them. They learned to speak and write English, and they also read the Bible and the Book of Common Prayer.
A visitor named Lieut. John Fontaine stayed at the fort from 1715 to 1716. He wrote down many details about the Native Americans there. He even recorded about 45-50 words and phrases from their Tutelo-Saponi language. Fontaine saw the fort when it was doing very well. He described many "happy Indian children shrieking through the rain." Another visitor, Rev. Hugh Jones, reported that the 77 Native American students could read, write, and say their lessons quite well. He also said that the Native Americans loved Mr. Griffin so much they "fain would have chosen him for a King of the Sapony Nation."
Governor Spotswood remained very interested in the fort. He even started building his own house nearby and brought his family there in 1717.
The Fort's Decline
The Virginia Indian Company had a monopoly on trading, which meant they were the only ones allowed to trade with the Native Americans. This made other private traders, like William Byrd II, very angry. William Byrd II had inherited a very profitable trading business from his father.
While in London, William Byrd II spoke to the Lords of Trade, who were powerful government officials. He argued that Fort Christanna was costing too much money and was not needed. He wanted them to allow independent trading again and to close the company. Even though Governor Spotswood disagreed, the Lords of Trade dissolved the company on November 12, 1717.
In May 1718, a peace treaty was signed with the Iroquois of New York. They agreed not to come east of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Because of this, the Virginia government (the Burgesses) voted to stop having soldiers at the fort. Mr. Griffin, the teacher, stayed until September, then moved to teach at the Native American school at the College of William & Mary.
The Saponi and Tutelo tribes stayed on the land around the fort for several more years. Their village was called Junkatapurse. Around 1730, they began to move away in small groups. The largest group moved to Shamokin, Pennsylvania in 1740, where they joined the Iroquois. In 1753, they were formally adopted by the Cayuga nation in New York. Meanwhile, more and more colonists moved to the lands around the fort. So many came that in 1720, Brunswick County was created as a separate county in that area.
Images for kids
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Fort Christanna was built in the shape of a pentagon.
