Chippewa Family 1821
Native Americans have been apart of Michigan many years before the Europeans even landed on North America. The most abundant tribes that were in Michigan the time of the first European explorers were the Algonquian (Ottawa mainly), the Anishnabe or the Chippewa and the Potawatomi people. The tribes of this time period were known as the "three fires" that co-existence harmoniously. The Anishnabe people who had a tribe the size of 25-35,000 was the largest tribe at that time. The mainly were located in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula. The Ottawa lives mainly south of the Straits of Mackinaw. The Potawatomi lived primarily in the southwest part of Michigan and surrounding states. Native Americans didn't leave behind a written record, so much of what we know today are by the contact they made with Europeans. The Indians hunted such animals like deer, rabbits and moose. Other tribes even were able to raise crops such as corn and squash. Their cloths were made out of animal skins. They didn't waist parts of the animals they hunted unlike hunters of the 21st. century.
An important chief in Michigan was Chief Okemos of the Chippewa tribe. He lived from 1789-1858. He signed treaties with the white government that allowed them to settle their native land. Though there were some positive effects of white settlers living near Native Americans many things went wrong. In the 1700's 2/3rd of the population of the Native Americans died of disease that the Europeans brought over with them. The Native Americans didn't have antibodies and diseases such as small pox could kill an entire village.
School were created to teach Native American children English and the English way of life. The schools basically eliminated the natural culture and replaced it with something unfamiliar. This may be the reason that many people with Native American descent don't know their heritage because the Whites eliminated it from their education. Though Native Americans have suffered many loses they still had a great affect on Michigan history. The created trade routes throughout the state and today the Great Sauk Trail is now highway US-12. I-94 runs the course of St. Joseph's Trail.
Resources:
Links for Resources:
This is a lesson plan on the names of Native Americans.
This site shows the Detroit Native Americans and the history behind them.
Last updated on August 6, 2007
Created By Kristin Brothers