Minnesota v. Mille Lacs Band of Chippewa Indians facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Minnesota v. Mille Lacs Band of Chippewa Indians |
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| Argued December 2, 1998 Decided March 24, 1999 |
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| Full case name | State of Minnesota et al. v. Mille Lacs Band of Chippewa Indians et al. |
| Citations | 526 U.S. 172 (more)
119 S.Ct. 1187; 143 L. Ed. 2d 270; 67 USLW 4189; 29 Envtl. L. Rep. 20,557; 99 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 2104; 1999 Daily Journal D.A.R. 2735; 12 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. S 162
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| Prior history | 861 F. Supp. 784 (D. Minn. 1994), aff'd, 124 F.3d 904 (8th Cir. 1997), cert. granted, 524 U.S. 915 (1998). |
| Holding | |
| The Ojibwe (Chippewa) retain usufructuary rights on the lands they ceded to the federal government in 1837. | |
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| Case opinions | |
| Majority | O'Connor, joined by Stevens, Souter, Ginsburg, Breyer |
| Dissent | Rehnquist, joined by Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas |
| Dissent | Thomas |
Minnesota v. Mille Lacs Band of Chippewa Indians was an important case decided by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1999. It was about the rights of the Ojibwe (Chippewa) tribe. The case focused on whether the Ojibwe could still hunt, fish, and gather plants on lands they had given to the U.S. government many years ago. The Supreme Court decided that the Ojibwe kept these special rights. These rights are often called "usufructuary rights."
Contents
Understanding the Case: Ojibwe Rights
This court case helped clarify the rights of the Ojibwe people. It confirmed their ability to continue traditional activities like hunting, fishing, and gathering on lands they once owned. This was a big win for Native American tribes. It showed that old treaties still matter today.
The 1837 Treaty and Land Cession
In 1837, the Ojibwe Nations signed a special agreement called the Treaty of St. Peters. It is also known as the "White Pine Treaty." Through this treaty, the Ojibwe gave a huge area of their land to the U.S. federal government. This land stretched across parts of what are now Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Hunting, Fishing, and Gathering Rights
Even though the Ojibwe gave up the land, the treaty had a special part. Article 5 of the treaty said that the Ojibwe could still hunt, fish, and gather wild rice on the ceded lands. This right was "guaranteed to the Indians, during the pleasure of the President of the United States." This meant the President could, in theory, end these rights.
Conflict Over Treaty Rights
Later, the states of Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin were formed. State officials in these new states began to control hunting and fishing. They often did not respect the rights the Ojibwe had kept in the treaty.
Legal Battles and Harassment
From the 1960s to the 1990s, many Ojibwe groups tried to use their fishing rights on the Great Lakes. When they did, they were often arrested or bothered by others. This led to many lawsuits and long legal fights in each of the three states. All these conflicts eventually led to the Minnesota v. Mille Lacs case in the U.S. Supreme Court in 1999.
The Supreme Court's Decision
The Supreme Court looked at the history and the treaty. They decided that the Ojibwe still had the right to hunt, fish, and gather on the lands they had given up in the 1837 treaty. The Court also set some rules to help protect the Great Lakes fisheries.
Importance of the Ruling
This decision was very important for Native American tribes. It showed that their old treaties are still valid and must be respected. It was a big step forward for Native American sovereignty, which means the right of tribes to govern themselves.
