Treaty of Washington (1855) facts for kids

The 1855 Treaty of Washington refers to four important agreements. These agreements were signed between the United States government and different Native American groups. They all happened in 1855 in Washington, DC.

Treaty with the Wyandot People

This agreement is also known as the Treaty with the Wyandot (10 Stat. 1159). It was signed on January 31, 1855, in Washington, DC. The treaty was between the United States and the Wyandot nation. After it was signed, the treaty was officially approved on February 20, 1855. The President then announced it on March 1, 1855.

Treaty with the Chippewa People

This agreement is also called the Treaty with the Chippewa (10 Stat. 1165). It was signed on February 22, 1855, in Washington, DC. The United States signed this treaty with two groups of Ojibwe people: the Pillager Chippewas and the Mississippi Chippewas. The treaty was approved on March 3, 1855. The President announced it on April 7, 1855.

What the Chippewa Treaty Did

In this treaty, the two Ojibwe groups gave up a large area of land. This land was in northwest Minnesota. However, they kept their right to use the land for things like hunting and fishing. This is called "usufruct rights."

The treaty also created nine small Indian Reservations for these groups:

• For the Pillager Chippewas:
  • Cass Lake
  • Leech Lake
  • Lake Winnibigoshish
• For the Mississippi Chippewas:
  • Gull Lake
  • Mille Lacs Lake
  • Pokegama Lake
  • Rabbit Lake
  • Rice Lake
  • Sandy Lake

Some of these reservations changed over time. The Rice Lake Indian Reservation was never fully set up. The Gull Lake, Pokegama Lake, and Rabbit Lake Indian Reservations were later closed. The three Pillager Chippewa Reservations were combined. They formed the larger Leech Lake Indian Reservation.

Treaty with the Winnebago People

This agreement is also known as the Treaty with the Winnebago (10 Stat. 1172). It was signed on February 27, 1855, in Washington, DC. This treaty was between the United States and the Ho-chunk (Winnebago) people. It was approved on March 3, 1855. The President announced it on March 23, 1855.

This treaty involved land in central Minnesota. This land had been promised to the Ho-chunks for an Indian Reservation in an earlier agreement, the Treaty of Washington (1846). The United States had gotten this land from the Ojibwe people through the Treaty of Fond du Lac (1847).

Treaty with the Choctaw and Chickasaw People

This agreement is also called the Treaty with the Choctaw and Chickasaw (11 Stat. 611). It was signed on June 22, 1855, in Washington, DC. This treaty was between the United States, the Choctaws, and the Chickasaws. It was approved on February 21, 1856. The President announced it on March 4, 1856.