Description
The Shawnees and the War for America is part of Penguin's Library of American Indian History. This volume is written by historian Colin Calloway professor of history at Dartmouth College. Written in eight chapters the book begins with an overview of Shawnee cultural history. Long before the American Revolution, the Shawnees lived in Ohio, hunted in Kentucky, and traveled as far away as Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Missouri. White settlers, however, sharply curtailed their freedom. With the courage and resilience embodied by their legendary leader Tecumseh, the Shawnee Nation waged a war of territorial and cultural resistance that lasted for more than sixty years. For a time the Shawnees and their allies met American forces on nearly equal terms, but their story is of an embattled nation fighting to maintain its cultural and political independence. This is the account of the early American settlers' drive to occupy the West, the Shawnees' unwavering defense of their homeland, and the bitter battles that resulted. Here too are the alliances that the Shawnees forged with their neighbors to present a united resistance, as well as instances of cooperation, collaboration, and intermarriage between the opposing forces. The book takes readers from the late 17th century to the 19th century following the Shawnee from Ohio Valley to Oklahoma. Chapters focus on leaders such as Cornstalk, Blue Jacket, Black Hoof, Tenskwatawa and Tecumseh. The book contains a map, bibliography, and an index.