Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish facts for kids
Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish was an important leader, or hereditary chief, of a Potawatomi Native American group in what is now Michigan. A hereditary chief means the leadership role was passed down in his family. The Potawatomi are one of the peoples of the Council of Three Fires. The other two groups are the Odawa and the Ojibwe. All these groups spoke languages from the Algonquian family.
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Who Was Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish?
Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish is also known by other spellings like Mashipinashiwish or Bad Bird. He was born around 1735 and likely passed away around 1805. He played a key role in the history of his people during a time of big changes in North America.
Important Treaties and Land Agreements
After the American Revolution, the United States began making treaties with Native American tribes. These treaties often involved tribes giving up land.
The Treaty of Greenville (1795)
In 1795, Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish signed the Treaty of Greenville. The United States called him "Bad Bird" and listed him as a Chippewa chief. This treaty officially ended the Northwest Indian War. This war was fought between the United States and a group of Native American tribes called the Western Confederacy. The Chippewa, Potawatomi, and Ottawa were close allies in the Council of Three Fires.
Chiefs from these tribes and others signed the treaty. They gave up a lot of land in what is now Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. This allowed European American settlers to move into this area, which the U.S. called the Northwest Territory.
Later Treaties and Land Cessions
Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish's name appears on several other important treaties:
- The 1821 Treaty of Chicago: Signed on August 29, 1821. In this treaty, he was listed as an Ottawa chief. This treaty set aside a special three-mile square area for an Indian village. This village was located at the start of the Kalamazoo River. Today, the city of Kalamazoo is in this spot.
- The 1827 Treaty with the Potawatomi: Signed on September 19, 1827. Here, he gave up the Kalamazoo land that was reserved for the Indian village to the U.S.
- The 1832 U.S. Treaty with the Potawatomi: He also signed this treaty, which gave up more land in southwest Michigan.
Historians believe that the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish who signed the treaties from 1821 to 1832 might have been a younger person with the same name. This is because the first Chief Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish is thought to have died around 1805. It was common for names to be passed down in Native American families.
Legacy of Chief Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish
Today, a federally recognized tribe in the United States is named after this important chief. This tribe is the Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan. They were formerly known as the Gun Lake Band. They are based in Dorr, Michigan, in Allegan County. The tribe chose this name because their members trace their family history back to him and his wife.
