In the early 1800s, shiploads of new immigrants arrived on America’s East Coast every week. They came from Germany, Ireland, Scandinavia, and other areas. Thousands of them moved west, taking over Native American hunting grounds. The pioneers chopped down trees and built cabins and farms in their place. Settlers hunted and trapped animals the tribes needed for food. Native Americans had lived in the area for centuries. Now suddenly pioneers said the land belonged to them.
Many of the settlers were Johnny’s friends. But many Native Americans were, too. Johnny had learned a lot about life in the woods from them. In turn, they had shown him what to eat, what dangers to avoid, and how to survive in storms.
Fighting was common between settlers and Native Americans. It made Johnny sad that there was trouble between his friends.
It also worried him that more trouble had begun brewing between England and the United States. English ships controlled the seas, and they were seizing American ships. England also forced hundreds of American sailors to join its navy.
At first, the American government fought back by refusing to buy English products or sell American products to England. Then on June 18, 1812, the United States declared war on England—again!
The English army knew Native Americans were angry at the settlers. They asked the tribes to help them fight the United States. Some tribes agreed. This caused even more trouble between the Native Americans and the settlers.
During the War of 1812, forests were extra dangerous. Both Native Americans and English soldiers were now fighting the settlers.
One September night, settlers in Mansfield, Ohio, heard news that they would soon be attacked. Johnny volunteered to ride thirty miles to Mount Vernon for help. He rode all night, warning other settlers along the way. Later, people remembered hearing him ride in the darkness, shouting, “Run for your lives!” One man was so scared, he did exactly that. But he forgot to put his pants on first!
Johnny didn’t like fighting. If a settler wanted to fight, Johnny challenged him to a tree-chopping contest instead. At the end, the settler was too tired to be mad anymore. It was also a way to clear more land.
If Native Americans wanted to fight with him, he tried to hide. Once he escaped a group of Native Americans by lying down in a shallow creek for hours!
THE CONSTITUTION
THE WAR ENDED IN 1815. BY THEN, MOST OF THE TRIBES HAD BEEN FORCED FROM THEIR LAND IN OHIO. ALL THE FIGHTING MADE JOHNNY WANT PEACE EVEN MORE.
DURING THE WAR OF 1812, THE AMERICAN SHIP CONSTITUTION SANK A BRITISH WARSHIP. REPORTS THAT AN ENGLISH CANNONBALL BOUNCED OFF THE CONSTITUTION LED PEOPLE TO NICKNAME THE SHIP “OLD IRONSIDES.”
TECUMSEH
(1768–1813)
TECUMSEH WAS A SHAWNEE CHIEF WHO TRIED TO UNITE ALL THE NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES. TOGETHER, HE BELIEVED, THEY COULD STOP PIONEERS FROM TAKING THEIR LAND.
THE NEW AMERICAN GOVERNMENT MADE MANY PROMISES TO THE NATIVE AMERICANS. OFTEN, THE PROMISES WEREN’T KEPT. LAND WAS TAKEN FROM THE TRIBES THROUGH TREATIES. NATIVE AMERICANS RECEIVED LITTLE PAYMENT.
TECUMSEH TRAVELED THOUSANDS OF MILES, WALKING, CANOEING, AND HORSEBACK RIDING. HE TALKED TO MANY CHIEFS ABOUT JOINING HIM TO FIGHT THE SETTLER INVASION.
WHILE HE WAS GONE, AMERICAN SOLDIERS WENT TO HIS VILLAGE. HIS TRIBE DECIDED TO BEAT THEM TO THE ATTACK. THE BATTLE OF TIPPECANOE BEGAN AND MANY ON BOTH SIDES DIED. AFTER THAT, OTHER TRIBES LOST FAITH IN TECUMSEH’S IDEAS AND REFUSED TO BAND TOGETHER.
IN THE WAR OF 1812, TECUMSEH SIDED WITH ENGLAND TO FIGHT THE AMERICANS. HE WAS KILLED IN BATTLE IN 1813. |