Treaty of St. Louis (1804) Facts for Kids

The Treaty of St. Louis is a name given to a group of agreements signed between the United States government and different Native American tribes. These agreements happened from 1804 to 1824. All fourteen treaties were signed near St. Louis, Missouri.

What Was the 1804 Treaty of St. Louis?
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What Was the 1804 Treaty of St. Louis?

This map shows the land given to the United States in the 1804 treaty. It is colored in yellow.

The Treaty of St. Louis of 1804 was an important agreement. It was signed on November 3, 1804, and officially announced on February 21, 1805. William Henry Harrison signed for the United States. Representatives from the Sauk and Meskwaki tribes, led by Quashquame, signed for their people.

Where Was the 1804 Treaty Signed?

Even though it's called the Treaty of St. Louis, it was actually signed at Portage des Sioux, Missouri. This place is just north of St. Louis, Missouri.

What Land Was Given Up?

In this treaty, the Sauk and Meskwaki tribes gave up a large area of land. This land stretched from northeast Missouri through most of Illinois (north of the Illinois River). It also included a big part of southern Wisconsin.

In return for this land, the United States promised to pay the tribes $1,000 worth of goods each year. This payment was to be delivered in St. Louis. The Sauk were to receive $600, and the Meskwaki (also called Fox) were to receive $400.

Why Was the Treaty Controversial?

Many Sauk people were very unhappy about this treaty. A famous Sauk leader named Black Hawk felt strongly that Quashquame did not have the right to sign away their land. This disagreement caused many Sauk people to support the British during the War of 1812.

The Treaty's Land Boundaries

The treaty described the exact borders of the land given to the United States. It started at the Missouri River across from the Gasconade River. Then it went to the Jeffreon River, down to the Mississippi River. From there, it followed the Mississippi up to the Wisconsin River, and then up the Wisconsin River for 36 miles. The line then went to the Fox River (a branch of the Illinois River) and followed it down to the Illinois River, and then to the Mississippi.

This land included important villages along the Rock River, like Saukenuk.

Who Represented the United States?

William Henry Harrison was the person who signed for the United States. At that time, he was the governor of the Indiana Territory and the District of Louisiana. He was also in charge of Indian Affairs for these areas.

Why Was the Treaty Questioned?

The group of Sauk people who signed the treaty, led by Quashquame, were not expecting to discuss land. Important tribal leaders who would normally handle such big negotiations were not with them. Because of this, Black Hawk never believed the treaty was fair or valid. His strong feelings about this treaty led him to fight against settlers during the War of 1812.

The terms of this treaty were confirmed again in the Treaties of Portage des Sioux in 1815, after the war ended. Later, Black Hawk led the Black Hawk War to try and change the treaty's terms.

Black Hawk's Account of the Treaty

In his own story, Black Hawk shared what he remembered about the treaty. He said that Quashquame and three other men were sent to St. Louis. Their main goal was to try and help a friend who was being held by the Americans. The Sauk tradition was to try and get their friend released. They were even willing to offer payment for the person who had been harmed.

Black Hawk recalled what Quashquame's group said when they returned:

They met with the American leader in St. Louis and asked for their friend to be released.
The American leader said he wanted land.
The Sauk agreed to give some land on the west side of the Mississippi River. They also agreed to give more land on the Illinois side, across from the Jeffreon River.
They expected their friend to be set free and come home with them once the agreement was made.
Just as they were about to leave, their friend was let out of prison. But as he ran a short distance, he was shot and killed.

Black Hawk wrote that this was all he and his nation knew about the 1804 treaty at first. He later learned that the treaty meant all the land east of the Mississippi River and south of the Jeffreon River was given to the United States. This was in exchange for one thousand dollars a year. Black Hawk wondered if his nation was truly represented in this treaty. He also questioned if the payment was fair for such a large amount of land.

Treaty of St. Louis (1804) facts for kids

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