Fox Indian Massacre

Last updated June 02, 2024

The Fox Indian Massacre marked the beginning of the Fox Wars, pitting the Meskwaki against New France and their indigenous allies. This massacre was driven by several factors, including a potential Meskwaki alliance with the British, the opposition of neighboring indigenous peoples such as the Illinois and Odawa, who sought to prevent Meskwaki empowerment, and French support for their allies out of fear of becoming enemies themselves. The French reported that 500 Meskwaki were killed and 300 survivors were enslaved.^[1]

Background

Between 1665 and 1670, the Meskwaki settled west of the Menominee lands in Northeastern Wisconsin, while the Sauk people claimed the area surrounding the present city of Green Bay.^[2] The Fur trade, along with hunting and trapping Elk, Bison and beaver, provided economic incentives for Indians to develop resources and economic wealth to ward off starvation.^[2] This opened up a new world that the French wanted to invest and control, therefore in 1679, a group of French elite smoked a calumet together with the Meskwaki's chief inaugurating what they both hoped would be a long and peace relationship.^[3] While this was happening, New France's allies based on geographic location were the Illinois, Ottawa, Ojibwe, Miami and Wyandot peoples. This put a damper in the French's goal of western civilization and power because prior to this new allegiance, French-allied Indians had high-tensions with the Meskwaki by attacking their villages.^[3] Accordingly, The General Peace Conference of Montreal in 1701 happened; pledging that the French wished for peace amongst the indigenous nations, particularly not excluding the Meskwaki.

Fort Pontchartrain du Detroit

The French decided to establish a new settlement at Detroit during 1712 which grew the tension. Due to the fact that Cadillac wanted to use the fort so that he could operate as a middleman in the fur trade, New France and their indigenous allies were faced with the threat of having the Meskwaki become more equipped and armed. This meant that they would gain more strengthen within the regions fur trade compared to the New French Nations, while the French wanted to enlarge and stabilize their western influence.^[3]

Massacre of 1712

A Illinois chief named Makoundeby led a large army up from the Illinois Valley to Detroit to violently protest against the Meskwaki relationship with the French.^[4] Because of the Meskwaki moving into Fort Detroit in 1711, French-allied Indians asserted their own vision to exclude the Meskwaki from any power regarding the French by actively attacking Meskwaki villages around the surrounding fort.^[3] Calling the Meskwaki "dogs" while framing themselves as "masters," French-allied Indians, particularly the Illinois and Wyandot, besieged and slaughtered the Meskwaki; chasing its residents away from Detroit, killing thousands of souls, one hundred men and some nine hundred women and children were taken prisoner.^[4] This was known to be the most significant slave raid in North American colonial history.^{[ citation needed ]}

Peace Treaty of 1716

The French and their indigenous allies defeated a large group of Meskwaki, grinding the violence to a halt. This resulted in the Meskwaki and their enemies gathering in the Saint Lawrence River valley to negotiate the peace treaty which was granted by the French signing the Fox Peace Treaty in 1716.^[3]

Resources

↑ Stelle, Lenville J.; Hargrave, Michael L. (2013). "Messages in a Map: French Depictions of the 1730 Meskwaki Fort". Historical Archaeology. 47 (4): 23–44. ISSN 0440-9213.
1 2 Kay, Jeanne (1984). "The Fur Trade and Native American Population Growth". Ethnohistory. 31 (4): 265–287. doi:10.2307/482713. ISSN 0014-1801.
1 2 3 4 5 Rushforth, Brett (2006). "Slavery, the Fox Wars, and the Limits of Alliance". The William and Mary Quarterly. 63 (1): 53–80. doi:10.2307/3491725. ISSN 0043-5597.
1 2 Morrissey, Robert Michael (2022). People of the Ecotone: Environment and Indigenous Power at the Center of Early America. University of Washington Press. ISBN 978-0-295-75087-3.

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[1] Stelle, Lenville J.; Hargrave, Michael L. (2013). "Messages in a Map: French Depictions of the 1730 Meskwaki Fort". Historical Archaeology. 47 (4): 23–44. ISSN 0440-9213.

[auto1-2] 1 2 Kay, Jeanne (1984). "The Fur Trade and Native American Population Growth". Ethnohistory. 31 (4): 265–287. doi:10.2307/482713. ISSN 0014-1801.

[Rushforth2006-3] 1 2 3 4 5 Rushforth, Brett (2006). "Slavery, the Fox Wars, and the Limits of Alliance". The William and Mary Quarterly. 63 (1): 53–80. doi:10.2307/3491725. ISSN 0043-5597.

[auto-4] 1 2 Morrissey, Robert Michael (2022). People of the Ecotone: Environment and Indigenous Power at the Center of Early America. University of Washington Press. ISBN 978-0-295-75087-3.

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