Treaty of Prairie du Chien
The
Treaty of Prairie du Chien may refer to either of two
treaties made and signed in
Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin between the
United States, representatives from the
Sioux,
Sac and Fox,
Menominie,
Ioway,
Winnebago and the
Anishinaabeg (
Chippewa,
Ottawa and
Potawatomi)
Native American peoples.
The first treaty of Prairie du Chien was signed by
William Clark and
Lewis Cass for the
United States and representatives of the
Sioux,
Sac and Fox,
Menominie,
Ioway,
Winnebago and the
Anishinaabeg on
August 19,
1825 and proclaimed on
February 6,
1826.
Due to the overall tribal movements toward the western direction, the
Sioux Nation were in often in conflict with their neighbours. This treaty begins by establishing peace between the
Sioux and their neighbours: Chippewa, Sac and Fox, and Ioway peoples.The treaty continues by demarcating formal boundaries between each of the tribal groups, often called the "Prairie du Chien Line." For tribes who rarely had rigid boundaries, the Prairie du Chien Line served as a hindrance due to a provision in the treaty stating that tribes were to hunt within the acknowledged limits. The series of Prairie du Chien Line served as the land cession boundaries in later treaties.Due to the vast scope of the Treaty of Prairie du Chien and not all of the necessary tribes were present at the signing of this treaty, the treaty also made a provision for additional councils to be held the following year in
1826. Along with these additional councils, the Chippewa agreed to additional meetings.
The second treaty of Prairie du Chien was signed by General John McNeil, Colonel Pierre Menard, and Caleb Atwater for the
United States and representatives of the
Council of Three Fires (also known as the "United Nations of
Chippewa,
Ottawa, and
Potawatomi Indians") on
July 29,
1829 and proclaimed on
January 2,
1830.This treaty ceded to the United States an area in northwestern Illinois and southwestern Wisconsin, as well as the area currently occupied by the cities of
Wilmette, Illinois and
Evanston, Illinois. This treaty established reservation areas in western Illinois for the
Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation, who were subsequently removed to
Kansas. This treaty also preserved the rights of the
Council of Three Fires to hunt in the ceded territory.
*
Text of the 1825 treaty*
Text of the 1829 treaty
