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New Wiki Page: Indian Reserves in America before 1850

Letters from the Presidents of the United State’s of America on Indian Reserves

The document “Indian Treaties, and Laws and Regulations Relating to Indian Affairs”’ was published in 1825 in Washington City, America. This Document discusses several regulations regarding Indigenous people of America and discusses the approval of Indigenous segregation and the reserve system in this letter from 1825. that “we have placed the land reserves in a better state for the benefit of society” which shows his approval of Indigenous reserves prior to 1850.

A letter written by President Martin Van Buren in 1837, between the Saginaw Tribe of Chippewas and the United States of America was directly involved in the creation of new Treaties regarding Indian Reservations before 1850. He claims, Indigenous Reserves are essentially a good idea and that “all their reserves of land in the state of Michigan, on the principle of said reserves being sold at the public land offices for their benefit and the actual proceeds being paid to them.” (3) So, in this case the agreement is for the Indigenous Tribe to sell their land, based on a Reservation to build a “lighthouse.” (4) Thus, the President, Martin Van Buren wants to buy Indigenous Reserve Land to build infrastructure.

Another Treaty signed by John Forsyth, the Secretary of State On behalf of, President Martin Van Buren of the United States of America also dictates where Indians must live in terms of the reserve system, this time between the Oneida People in 1838. This Treaty requests to allow Indians five years on a specific reserve “the west shores of Saganaw bay” which showed they only had limited time to spend on some reserves. (5) This shows the creation of Indian Reserves even if only approved for five years. He discusses Article two of the Treaty claiming “the reserves on the river Angrais and at Rifle river, of which said Indians are to have the usufruct and occupancy for five years” (6). This article references the Indian reserve system before 1850 which shows some of the time restraints pushed on to the Indigenous peoples.

Early land sales in Virginia

The article by Buck Woodard, “Indian Land sales and allotment in Antebellum Virginia” explains the history of Indian Reserves in America since 1705. She details the history of Indian Reserves and Treaties. She describes in detail the different land rights and Treaties for American Indigenous people. She claims that “the colonial government again recognized the Nottoway’s land rights by treaty in 1713, at the conclusion of the Tuscaro War,” proving the Aboriginal’s in America had Land Treaty agreements as early as 1713. (7) One of the primary examples in this article dates from 1805-1808 and are Executive Papers from Governor William H. Cabell.

The beginning of the Indian Reserve System in America

The American Indigenous Reserve system may have started “In the Royal Proclamation of 1763, where Great Britain set aside an enormous resource for Indians in the territory of the presently United States.” (8) Another example is hen American “Congress passed the Indian Removal Act in 1830.” (9)  Another act to be pushed through was when “the federal government relocated “portions of [the] ‘Five Civilized Tribes’ from the southeastern states in the Non-Intercourse Act of 1834.” (10) Thus, the Indian Reserve system in the United States of America began in 1763 with the Royal Proclamation set by Great Britain. Also, the “Indian Removal Act of 1830” and the “Non-Intercourse act of 1834” which all came into play in the forceful removal of First Nations peoples into specific land. (11)

Treaties involving Indian Reserves in America before 1850:

James Oberly in his article, “Decision on Duck Creek: Two Green Bay Reservations and Their Boundaries, 1816-1996” discusses the significance of another Treaty regarding Indian Reserves before 1850. In this case the Treaty being discussed is, “The Treaty of 1831 between the Menominee Nation and the United States.” (12) There is a conflict between the Menomee Nation and the State of Wisconsin. This article claims that “the 1831 Menomee Treaty …  ran the boundary between the lands of the Oneida, known in the Treaty as the “New York Indians.” (13) This Treaty from 1831 is the cause of many conflicts and is often disputed. For example, the land used to be good hunting grounds, but not anymore.

1834 Trade and Intercourse Act

The Trade and Intercourse Act of 1834 claims that, “In the 1834 Indian Trade and Intercourse Act, the United States defined the boundaries of Indian County.” (14) Also, “For Unrau, Indigenous Country is less on Indigenous homeland and more a place where the U.S. removed Indians from east of the Mississippi River and applied unique laws.” (15) Therefore, the United States of America applied unique laws on Indian Reserves depending on where they were located. For example the Mississippi River. He claims that, “the federal government began to compress Indigenous lands because it needed to send troops to Texas during the Mexican-American War and protect American immigration travelling to Oregon and California.” (16) The Federal Government of America had their own needs and desires for Indigenous Land Reserves. He claims, “the reconnaissance of explorers and other American officials understood that Indigenous Country possessed good land, bountiful game, and potential mineral resources.” (17) The American Government wanted Indigenous land for their own benefits thus the creating of Indigenous Land Reserves.

Indian Reserve System in Texas

However some states such as Texas have their own policy when it came to Indian Reserves. The article, “The United States Indian Policy in Texas, 1845-1860” by George D. Harmon claims that, “Prior to 1845, Texas had inaugurated and pursued her own Indian Policy of the U.S.” (18)  Thus, Texas is an example of how they did their own reserve system. Also, the State of  “Texas had given only a few hundred acres of land in 1840, for the purpose of colonization” (19) However, “In March, 1847, … [a] special agent [was sent] to Texas to manage the Indian affairs in the State until Congress should take some definite and final action.” (20) So, the United States of America allowed it’s states to make up their own treaties such as this one in Texas for the purpose of colonization.