Native American Treaties

Treaty of November 3, 1804

A treaty between the United States of America and the United tribes of Sac and Fox Indians. ARTICLES of a treaty made at St. Louis in the district of Louisiana between William Henry Harrison, governor of the Indiana territory and of the district of Louisiana, superintendent of Indian affairs for the said territory and district, and commissioner plenipotentiary of the United States for concluding any treaty or treaties which may be found necessary with any of the north western tribes of Indians of the one part, and the chiefs and head men of the united Sac and Fox tribes of … Read more

Treaty of September 11, 1807

Elucidation of a convention with the Cherokee Nation, September 11, 1807. Whereas, by the first article of a convention between the United States and the Cherokee nation, entered into at the city of Washington, on the seventh day of January, one thousand eight hundred and six, it was intended on the part of the Cherokee nation, and so understood by the Secretary of War, the commissioner on the part of the United States, to cede to the United States all the right, title and interest which the said Cherokee nation ever had to a tract of country contained between the … Read more

Treaty of January 7, 1806

A convention between the United States and the Cherokee nation of Indians, concluded at the city of Washington, on the seventh day of January, in the year one thousand eight hundred and six. Articles of a Convention made between Henry Dearborn, secretary of war, being specially authorized thereto by the president of the United States, and the undersigned chiefs and head men of the Cherokee nation of Indians, duly authorized and empowered by said nation. ARTICLE 1. The undersigned chiefs and head men of the Cherokee nation of Indians, for themselves and in behalf of their nation, relinquish to the … Read more

Treaty of October 25, 1805

Articles of a treaty agreed upon between the United States of America, by their commissioners Return J. Meigs and Daniel Smith, appointed to hold conferences with the Cherokee Indians for the purpose of arranging certain interesting matters with the said Cherokees, of the one part, and the undersigned chiefs and head men of the said nation, of the other part. ARTICLE 1. All former treaties, which provide for the maintenance of peace and preventing of crimes, are on this occasion recognized and continued in force. ARTICLE 2. The Cherokees quit claim and cede to the United States, all the land … Read more

Treaty of October 24, 1804

Articles of a treaty between the United States of America and the Cherokee Indians. Daniel Smith and Return J. Meigs, being commissioned by Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States, with powers of acting in behalf of the said United States in arranging certain matters with the Cherokee nation of Indians; and the underwritten principal Chiefs, representing the said nation; having met the said Commissioners in a conference at Tellico, and having taken into their consideration certain propositions made to them by the said Commissioners of the United States; the parties aforesaid, have unanimously agreed and stipulated, as is definitely … Read more

Treaty of 16 March 1854

Articles of agreement and convention made and concluded at the city of Washington this sixteenth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, by George W. Manypenny, as commissioner on the part of the United States, and the following-named chiefs of the Omaha tribe of Indians, viz: Shon-ga-ska, or Logan Fontenelle; E-sta-mah-za, or Joseph Le Flesche; Gra-tah-nah-je, or Standing Hawk; Gah-he-ga-gin-gah, or Little Chief; Ta-wah-gah-ha, or Village Maker; Wah-no-ke-ga, or Noise; So-da-nah-ze, or Yellow Smoke; they being thereto duly authorized by said tribe. Article 1. The Omaha Indians cede to the United States all their lands west of the … Read more

Treaty of September 26, 1833

Articles of a treaty made at Chicago, in the State of Illinois, on the twenty-sixth day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-three, between George B. Porter, Thomas J. V. Owen and William Weatherford, Commissioners on the part of the United States of the one part, and the United Nation of Chippewa, Ottowa and Potawatamie Indians of the other part, being fully represented by the Chiefs and Head-men whose names are hereunto subscribed—which Treaty is in the following words, to wit: ARTICLE 1. The said United Nation of Chippewa, Ottowa, and Potawatamie Indians, … Read more

Acts of Special Character

The Choctaw and Chickasaw Agreement, ratified in 1902, significantly impacted tribal enrollment processes, particularly by restricting new applications after a set deadline. It also established the Choctaw and Chickasaw Citizenship Court to review prior enrollment decisions, leading to the controversial Riddle case, which nullified many previous rulings. Similarly, the Cherokee Agreement of 1902 maintained enrollment limitations and faced legal disputes over application deadlines and roll confirmations.

Acts of General and Preliminary Character

The Acts of 1896, 1897, 1898, and 1900 shaped the complex enrollment process of the Five Civilized Tribes, often creating legal confusion and disenfranchisement. The 1896 Act underestimated the work involved and imposed restrictive deadlines, while the 1897 Act failed to produce a definitive roll. The 1898 Curtis Act emphasized correcting existing rolls but limited new enrollments. The 1900 Act further restricted applications, prioritizing expediency over fairness. These laws favored elimination over inclusion, resulting in numerous rejected claims based on jurisdictional technicalities rather than merit, complicating the path to citizenship and land allotments.

Choctaw Citizenship Litigation

This is a letter from P. J. Hurley, National Attorney for the Choctaw Nation. In this letter he describes in Parts 1-14 the services he performed in Citizenship Cases during the entire term of his employment as attorney for the Choctaw Nation. You will find as you read the different parts of this book there is repetition of some of the work done. For those of you searching for Mississippi Choctaw families denied under Article 14 of the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek, a better insight as how and why this happened.

Indian Treaties, Acts and Agreements

Page 2 - Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek

These Indian treaties, acts, and agreements represent a significant collection of federal and state dealings with various Native American tribes. Many of these treaties forced tribes to relocate, usually westward, though occasionally in other directions. Negotiating land treaties posed significant challenges for both the United States and Canada, as tribal governance often made it unclear who held the authority to cede land. Additionally, the concept of land ownership, as understood by European settlers, was foreign to Native Americans, who saw themselves as caretakers and users of the land in harmony with nature. This difference in perspective made it difficult for Native Americans to fully grasp the implications of ceding land ownership and the responsibilities outlined in the treaties, leading to misunderstandings and lasting consequences.

Native American Land Cessions in Illinois

From this it will be seen that almost the entire country comprising the present State of Illinois was the subject of controversy in the matter of original ownership, and that the United States, in order fully to extinguish the Indian claim thereto, actually bought it twice, and some portions of it three times. It is proper, however, to add in this connection that where the government at the date of a purchase from one tribe was aware of an existing claim to the same region by another tribe, it had the effect of diminishing the price paid.