During the war of the Revolution, the Indians within the territory now comprising the present State of Michigan, were induced to make war upon the American settlements in New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. In the treaty of peace of 1783, at the close of the Revolutionary War, there was no express stipulation for the surrender of the northwestern posts, although the territory embracing them was clearly embraced within the treaty. Notwithstanding this, the British Government continued in possession of them until 1796. The Territory of Michigan was organized in 1805. For sometime previous to that date, it had formed a part of the Northwestern Territory, and the present State of Michigan formed a single county, called Wayne. The seat of Government was at Chillicothe, in the present State of Ohio, to which place the county sent a representative until 1800, when Indiana was erected into a separate territory; and two years afterwards, it was annexed to this new-formed territory, and remained under its jurisdiction until 1805. June 19. In 1812, war was declared between the United States and Great Britain. The chief causes of this war, were, the impressment of American seamen, the capture of American vessels, and the enforcement of illegal blockades by the English Government. On the 12th of July, 1812, General Hull, in command at Detroit, surrendered to the British under General Brock. General Harrison, soon after, sent General Winchester into Michigan at the head of a thousand men, with a view to the recapture of Detroit. January 19, 1813, Winchester was attacked at Frenchtown, on the river Raisin, by the British General Proctor, with a force of two thousand British and Indians. Winchester was taken prisoner, and his entire detachment surrendered, Proctor assuring them that he would protect them from the savages. He, however, withdrew his troops to Malden, leaving his prisoners to be massacred by the Indians. On the 10th of September of the same year, Commodore Perry defeated the British at the battle of Lake Erie; and on the 5th of October, General Harrison defeated the British and Indians at the battle of the Thames. At this battle, the renowned chief, Tecumseh, was in command of the Indian warriors, and fought with wonderful courage and desperation. After the British had fled, Tecumseh, with his Indian warriors, engaged in a hand-to-hand conflict with Colonel Johnson and his force of mounted Kentuckians; but soon fell, pierced by a pistol ball. It is said that during the latter years of his life, "he was almost incessantly engaged either in council, or at the head of his warlike bands," and that “he sank at last on the field of his glory, with tomahawk in hand, and the cry of battle upon his lips." "Like monumental bronze, unchanged his look, A stoic of the woods, a man without a tear." Immediately after the battle of the Thames, the British surrendered Detroit to the Americans, but retained the pos session of Mackinac until December 24, 1814, when peace was concluded. Questions During the war of the Revolution, what was done by the Indians of Michigan? What is said in relation to the treaty of peace? Of Michigan and the Northwestern Territory? Of Indiana? State some of the chief causes of the war of 1812. When and to whom did Gen. Hull surrender Detroit? State the particulars and result of Gen. Winchester's campaign. When, by whom, and with what result was the battle of Lake Erie fought? Battle of the Thames? What is said of Tecumseh ? The government of the Territory of Michigan, until 1823, was vested in the Governor and Judges, who, in addition to the powers usually exercised by such officers, exercised legislative functions. In 1817, the Governor and Judges passed an act for the establishment of what was styled the Catholepestemiad, or University of Michigan; although it was not until shortly after the Territory had been admitted as a State, that the present University was really established. In 1818, all the territory lying north of Illinois and Indiana was annexed to Michigan. In 1819, General Cass, who was then Governo: of the Territory, effected a treaty with the Indians, at Saginaw, by which they relinquished their claim to 6,000,000 acres of land in the eastern part of the Territory. In 1821, a treaty was made at Chicago, by which the Indian title to all the lands in the Territory, south of the Grand river, was relinquished. By the treaty of Greenville, concluded in 1795, the Indians had agreed that all the lands which they had granted to the French or English should be transferred to the United States. In 1823, Congress abolished the act conferring legislative power upon the Governor and Judges, and provided for the establishment of a Legislative Council, to consist of nine members. The members of the Council were appointed by the President of the United States, who selected them from eighteen persons chosen by the people. In 1825, the Council was made to consist of thirteen members. In 1827, the Council was made elective by the people. In 1831, General Cass was appointed Secretary of War, and George B. Porter of Pennsylvania, was appointed Governor of the Territory. He died in 1834, whereupon Stevens T. Mason, Secretary of the Territory, became acting Governor. Questions - What is said of the government of the Territory prior to 1823? What was done by the Governor and Judges in 1817? What Territory was annexed to Michigan in 1818? What is said of the treaty of 1819? Of 1821? Of 1795? What is said of the Legislative Council? To what office was General Cass appointed in 1831 ? Who succeeded him as Governor? Who succeeded Governor Porter? CHAPTER V. THE TOLEDO WAR SETTLEMENT OF THE DIFFICULTY BY CONGRESS. By the Ordinance of 1787, it was contemplated that a line due east and west through the southern extremity of Lake Michigan should be the dividing line between the two tiers of States to be erected out of the Northwestern Territory. By the act of Congress establishing the Territory of Michigan, this line was designated as its southern boundary. Ohio, however, desired and claimed a strip of land about fifteen miles wide, north of this line; and in 1812, Congress recognized the line as claimed by Ohio, and in 1816 a survey was authorized to be made accordingly. Michigan was about to apply for admission as a State, and insisted on the line as originally established, and made preparations to resist a party of surveyors sent by the authorities of Ohio to re-survey the line. The surveyors were driven off by a party of Michigan Believing that Ohio would send troops to take possession of the disputed territory, acting Governor Mason called out the militia of the Territory, and as Commander-in-Chief, placed himself at their head, and marched "to the front.” No enemy appearing, the troops were allowed to disperse and return to their homes. Congress finally decided the controversy in favor of Ohio, and gave to Michigan, in lieu of the strip in dispute, about twenty-five thousand square miles of country in what is now known as the Upper Peninsula. men. Questions - What was the line originally contemplated as the dividing line between the present State of Michigan, and the territory |