Symposium: "Border Troubles and Indian-Anglo Conflict in the War of 1812" March 17, 2012

This symposium is made possible in part by generous support from the Consulate General of Canada, Chicago. There will be a discussion with the audience following the talks.

"The Great Whirlwind: The Impact of the War of 1812 on the Haudenosaunee (Six Nations)"
Rick Hill, Tuscarora, Oral Historian and Chairperson, Six Nations Legacy Consortium, Six Nations Grand River Territory, Ontario
Oral historian Rick Hill will examine the involvement of the Grand River, Buffalo Creek and Tuscarora communities on both sides of the border, as they were torn by conflicting Covenant Chain loyalties to the Crown and the President. He will tell the story through a series of wampum belts associated with the war, and the written accounts of council meetings where these divided loyalties were played out. In the end, the Haudenosaunee used their ancient protocols to heal the wounds of war and become one people.

"Earthshaking History: Tecumseh, the Red Stick Creeks, and the South"
Gregory Dowd, History and American Culture, University of Michigan
Several legends concerning Tecumseh have found their way into our histories of the war of 1812, which cast doubt upon aspects of events that occurred during and immediately after his tour of the South in 1811. These include the role of eclipses, comets, and earthquakes in history; his anger at Tenskwatawa for the battle of Tippecanoe, and the decline of the Shawnee Prophet's influence following that battle.

“War of 1812: Indian Perspectives in the Old Northwest”
Frances L. Hagemann, Ojibwe/Mettis, Newberry Scholar in Residence, and Contributor, National Council for the Social Studies
In the Old Northwest Territory this war was primarily an Indian war. After European arrival in the Great Lakes area, a complex set of relationships arose among the French, the English, and indigenous tribes. The dynamics of the relationships were shaped by confrontation and/or confederation and the roots of this war can be seen as early as the 1750s. As pressure for greater land cessions grew, the tribes did not acquiesce without a struggle.

"Come All Ye Bold Canadians"
Ron Dale, War of 1812 Bicentennial Project Manager, Parks Canada
Using the title of a popular Canadian militia marching song as his theme, the head of the Canadian War of 1812 Project will discuss the War of 1812 in Canadian national mythology and Canadian commemorations that mark the bicentennial of the conflict.

This program is free and open to the public. No reservations are required.

Official Website: http://www.newberry.org