Chapter Four The Struggle for Ohio

The Beautiful Country  The six historic Ohio Indian tribes love Ohio.  The French who live in Canada want Ohio for the fur trade.  The colonists along the Atlantic Coast want more land to farm. Virginians wanted to set up plantations in Ohio.

French and Indian War  The French built Fort Duquesne at the headwaters (Pittsburgh) of the Ohio River to protect the fur trade.  The Virginians convinced the other colonies to join them in fighting for Ohio.  The Governor of Virginia sent George Washington and some soldiers to tell the French that Ohio belonged to Virginia.

A Terrible War  French and Indians attacked settlements in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky. They scalped their victims.  The American colonists attacked Indian villages throughout Ohio. Even women and children were killed.  Soldiers came from Great Britain to help the colonists.

First Treaty of Paris  France gave all its land in North America to Great Britain.  Pontiac wanted the French back. He united the six tribes in a revolt. (Pontiac’s Revolt)  British will not let the American colonists settle Ohio.  Proclamation of The colonists were not allowed to cross an imaginary line down the middle of the Appalachian Mountains. Ohio should remain Indian hunting grounds not farms.

American Revolution  Great Britain wanted control of the colonies.  Tea, glass, lead, and paper were all taxed.  The colonies declared their independence. They called themselves the United States of America.  The Indians sided with Great Britain.  Logan’s Lament  Gnaddenhutten Massacre.

Treaty of Paris, 1783  After eight years of fighting, the British signed a peace treaty recognizing the United States as a free and independent nation.  They gave the US all the land south of Canada and north of Florida to the Mississippi River.  Ohio now belonged to the Americans.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787  All the land north of the Ohio River and west to the Mississippi was called the Northwest Territory. Parts of the territory could become states in three stages.  First, a governor and three judges would run the territory.  Then, when 5,000 free men lived there, the territory could set up a legislature. Slavery would be outlawed.  When 60,000 free people lived in the territory, it could become a state.

The Ohio Indian Wars  Two American armies were sent to defeat the Indians.  The Indians defeated Generals Harmar and St. Clair.  General “Mad Anthony” Wayne defeated the Indians at the Battle of Fallen Timbers.  Little Turtle and Anthony Wayne sign the Treaty of Greeneville.

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