John Hall great recollection of Black hawk war and disunity of Natives

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   The Black Hawk war was this regions main Indian battle and author John Hall examines tis battle in a work called "Uncommon Defense". In it he tells how members of the Menominee,Dakota,Pottawatomie, and Ho Chunk tribes fought and supported the american land theft war against the Sauk and Fox Indians in Illinois and long the Mississippi river. Hall researches the long tribal animosities of Natives in Wisconsin and Illinois territories and how the rush of White settlers paved the way for further mining and expansion in the state. This is an excellent source in understanding the complexities of this short Indian war which mostly militia members fought and hall does a good job of setting the situation that lead to Chief Black Hawks uprising and why he failed to materialize more support outside his tribe. The diplomacy of american federal forces and local authorities in ensuring these other powerful tribes not join this uprising was amazing and ultimately is what made this such a minor Indian war compared to so many that came before and would come later in the West. Many of these tribes would pay a price though and eventually be persuaded to move west of the Mississippi. Hall also relates the need for male achievement and the role warfare played for the people in this region in expectations for increased status and the long-resentful and hostilities maybe many tribes more than willing to raise the hatchet against the Sauk and Fox. This is not to say all the Natives were eager to join this war and support the Americans as the Ho Chunks of Green Bay wavered but these tribes knew that it empowered their position to scout and ally with the growing power of eastern migrants into the great lakes region as British prestige and interest waned in the area. professor hall speak with good heart on Native Americans and portrays this war for land grab it was in region and the selfish role individual tribes played or were played against each other by the great father in Washington.

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