Illinois Territory in the War of 1812 facts for kids
The War of 1812 was a conflict between the United States and Great Britain, along with their Native American allies. During this war, the Illinois Territory was a place of many battles. This territory was much larger than modern Illinois. It included areas that are now parts of Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan.
Contents
Rising Tensions Before the War
Before the War of 1812, there was growing disagreement in the Illinois Territory. American settlers were moving into lands where Native Americans lived. This caused many problems and led to fighting.
Native American Resistance
A Potawatomi chief named Main Poc lived near Peoria. He supported a resistance movement led by two Shawnee brothers. These brothers were the prophet Tenskwatawa and his brother Tecumseh. They wanted Native American tribes to unite against the American settlers.
In 1811, the Shawnee brothers lost a big battle called the Battle of Tippecanoe. This battle happened in the Indiana Territory. After this defeat, attacks on American settlers in Illinois became more frequent.
Early Conflicts and Fort Dearborn
There were not many U.S. Army soldiers in the western frontier at this time. Ninian Edwards, who was the governor of the territory, led the local militia. The militia was a group of citizens trained as soldiers.
The Attack on Fort Dearborn
A very sad event for the Americans happened in August 1812. A large group of Native Americans, mostly Potawatomis, attacked. They attacked soldiers and civilians as they were leaving Fort Dearborn in Chicago. This attack resulted in many losses for the Americans.
American Expeditions and Fort Building
In October 1812, the Americans decided to fight back. Governor Edwards and Colonel William Russell led an expedition. They attacked and destroyed villages of the Potawatomi and Kickapoo tribes near Peoria. This made the Native Americans leave the area. However, attacks continued in other places.
Building and Losing Forts
In September 1813, the Americans built Fort Clark in Peoria. The next year, in June 1814, William Clark built Fort Shelby. This fort was located at Prairie du Chien.
However, the British captured Fort Shelby in July 1814. They renamed it Fort McKay. The Americans tried twice to send more troops to Prairie du Chien. But Native American attacks stopped them. These attacks happened at Rock Island Rapids and Credit Island. These were the last major battles of the War of 1812 in this region.
After the War
Even after the War of 1812 ended, tensions remained. Fighting between the U.S. and Native Americans in the area continued later. This led to the Winnebago War in 1827 and the Black Hawk War in 1832.
Land for Soldiers
After the war, a large area of land was set aside. This land was between the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. It was called the Military Tract of 1812. This land was used to pay soldiers for their service in the war. Soldiers received land grants instead of money. This area was about one-eighth of the size of modern Illinois. It included lands where Native Americans still lived. Some Native Americans who were forced to leave these lands later joined Black Hawk.
Battles
