Important Treaties for Important Treaties for Ojibwe Indians in WisconsinOjibwe Indians in Wisconsin

What is a treaty?What is a treaty?

an agreement between two nationsan agreement between two nations

Who were the two nations?Who were the two nations? The United States government and The United States government and

Indians living in WisconsinIndians living in Wisconsin

Prairie du Chien Treaty of 1825Prairie du Chien Treaty of 1825

Prairie du Chien Treaty of 1825Prairie du Chien Treaty of 1825 Settlers might be afraid Settlers might be afraid

to come to Wisconsin if to come to Wisconsin if tribes in Wisconsin tribes in Wisconsin were always fighting were always fighting each other. each other.

This treaty set the This treaty set the boundaries for the tribes boundaries for the tribes living in Wisconsin living in Wisconsin today to bring about today to bring about peace.peace.

The US hoped to gain The US hoped to gain Indian land in the Indian land in the future.future.

Wisconsin Territory…on the way to Wisconsin Territory…on the way to becoming a state.becoming a state.

The First Territorial GovernorThe First Territorial Governor

Henry Dodge, Henry Dodge, the first the first territorial territorial governor of governor of WisconsinWisconsin

What did Dodge do?What did Dodge do?

He saw the He saw the value in all of value in all of the white pine the white pine trees that trees that could be used could be used for lumber.for lumber.

The 1837 Pine Tree TreatyThe 1837 Pine Tree Treaty

The government wanted The government wanted to start lumbering in the to start lumbering in the big pine forests.big pine forests.

The Chippewa or The Chippewa or Ojibwe Indians Ojibwe Indians cededceded their land and we began their land and we began lumbering.lumbering.

The Ojibwe Indians The Ojibwe Indians could still hunt and fish could still hunt and fish in their traditional in their traditional lifestyle. lifestyle.

What does What does cededceded mean? mean?

Cede means to give upCede means to give up

The Ojibwe gave up their land and the US The Ojibwe gave up their land and the US government paid them money and supplies for government paid them money and supplies for it.it.

A New Land Cession: A New Land Cession: The 1842 Copper TreatyThe 1842 Copper Treaty

Copper deposits were Copper deposits were reported along the reported along the shores of Lake Superior shores of Lake Superior and northern boundary and northern boundary of Wisconsin.of Wisconsin.

Indians ceded the land Indians ceded the land and mining of copper and mining of copper boomed in this area.boomed in this area.

Problems with these treaties:Problems with these treaties:

Indians thought they were just letting us Indians thought they were just letting us use use the land and what was in it; they didn’t think the land and what was in it; they didn’t think they were they were sellingselling the actual land. the actual land.

Indians thought that their children and Indians thought that their children and grandchildren would have a home in the grandchildren would have a home in the future.future.

The United States didn’t keep their promise – The United States didn’t keep their promise – the Ojibwe Indians of Wisconsin were the Ojibwe Indians of Wisconsin were “removed” to Sandy Lake, Minnesota.“removed” to Sandy Lake, Minnesota.

•In order to receive their payment for the land they had to travel to Sandy Lake.

•When they got arrived, the money was not there. Of the 400 Ojibwe who traveled, 170 died from hunger, disease and the cold.

A Voice for the OjibweA Voice for the Ojibwe Chief Buffalo traveled to Chief Buffalo traveled to

Washington, D.C. to persuade Washington, D.C. to persuade President Fillmore to stop the President Fillmore to stop the removal order. He explained removal order. He explained to the president that the to the president that the Ojibwe believed they were Ojibwe believed they were letting the US use the copper letting the US use the copper and trees on the land, they and trees on the land, they never ceded (or gave up) the never ceded (or gave up) the land itself. President Fillmore land itself. President Fillmore stopped the “removal order.” stopped the “removal order.”

Treaty of 1854Treaty of 1854

Ojibwe leaders met with U.S. leaders to insist Ojibwe leaders met with U.S. leaders to insist they have reservations (land set aside) in they have reservations (land set aside) in Wisconsin.Wisconsin.

They also wanted to be able to hunt, fish, and They also wanted to be able to hunt, fish, and gather on the land they had agreed to give up.gather on the land they had agreed to give up.

Four Ojibwe reservations were created in Four Ojibwe reservations were created in Wisconsin…Wisconsin…

How have the land holdings changed for How have the land holdings changed for the Ojibwe?the Ojibwe?

Lac Court Oreilles

Lac du Flambeau

Red Cliff

Bad River

Two More Bands Get Reservations:Two More Bands Get Reservations:

St. Croix

Mole Lake

Do Ojibwe Indians live Do Ojibwe Indians live in Wisconsin today?in Wisconsin today?

Yes! Many bands try to Yes! Many bands try to continue hunting and continue hunting and gathering the traditional gathering the traditional way…way…

Gathering wild riceGathering wild rice

FishingFishing

Spearing Spearing walleyewalleye

Restocking Restocking lakes with lakes with sturgeon and sturgeon and walleyewalleye

They are trying to preserve their They are trying to preserve their culture and language for the culture and language for the

future…future…

Cultural horizons CD-rom clips from each of Cultural horizons CD-rom clips from each of the reservations. Shows wild ricing, language the reservations. Shows wild ricing, language schools, tribal schools, bison reintroduction in schools, tribal schools, bison reintroduction in southern Wisconsin, etc.southern Wisconsin, etc.