Summary of Events

• Impact of the Revolutionary War on American Indians: Despite military successes, American Indians faced significant losses at the Paris peace negotiations, where they were unrepresented.

• Disruption of Daily Life: The war led to severed trade lines, community fragmentation, and destruction of villages by soldiers from both sides.

• Delaware Experience: The Delaware tribe, despite signing a treaty in 1778, suffered attacks on their villages by rebel soldiers in 1781 and faced British capture of their members in 1782.

• Historical Perspective: Historian Colin Calloway notes that the American Revolution was a "no-win situation" for many tribes, including those that supported the rebels.

• Geopolitical Shift: The war altered the balance of power, limiting American Indians' ability to leverage relationships with imperial powers.

• Territorial Loss: The British ceded lands between the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to the U.S. in the 1783 treaty, despite never having formally acquired it, leading to future military conflicts.

Main Themes

• Marginalization of Indigenous Peoples: The exclusion of American Indians from peace negotiations highlights their marginalization in historical narratives.

• Consequences of War: The Revolutionary War had devastating effects on Native communities, disrupting their social and economic structures.

• Power Dynamics: The shift in power dynamics post-war left American Indians vulnerable and unable to negotiate effectively with the new American government.

• Resistance and Adaptation: Indigenous nations began to develop new strategies for survival and resistance in response to the changing geopolitical landscape.

Motifs

• Betrayal: The contrast between military success and political failure underscores a sense of betrayal felt by American Indians.

• Survival: The theme of survival emerges as tribes adapt to new realities and seek to protect their lands and cultures.

• Imperialism: The ceding of land without consent reflects ongoing themes of imperialism and colonialism in American history.