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Nation

Chippewa (Ojibwe)

Not yet reviewed by this nation. What follows comes from public records and research. It does not speak for the nation.

Region
Great Lakes

In the record

The United States made 43 treaties and agreements that name Chippewa (Ojibwe) as a party, from Treaty of Fort McIntosh, 1785 to Chippewa of the Mississippi at Washington, DC (1867).

C. C. Royce’s 1899 schedule records 138 cessions of land from Chippewa (Ojibwe): about 177 million acres by this atlas’s estimate, counting overlaps once. 65 of them came through treaties and agreements. The largest was Land of the Chippewa and Ottawa in Michigan, ceded 1836 (area 205), about 25 million acres, ceded under Treaty of Washington (1836) with the Ottawa and Chippewa.

The atlas records 5 broken treaty promises involving Chippewa (Ojibwe): Greenville 1795 and Fort Wayne 1809: encroachment, then cession under pressure, Sandy Lake (1850): removal order and annuity relocation in breach of Ojibwe treaties, Mille Lacs (1999): Minnesota's denial of 1837 hunting, fishing and gathering rights and 2 more. 5 court cases turned on their rights: Jones v. Meehan, Bryan v. Itasca County, Minnesota v. Mille Lacs Band of Chippewa Indians and 2 more.

The records group it with Anishinaabe. Today, Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians of the Bad River Reservation, Wisconsin, Bay Mills Indian Community, Chippewa Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy's Reservation, Montana, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Michigan, Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin, Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and 12 more carry this history, as their own pages or research records say.

Written from the records linked here; open any of them for its sources. This is what the United States’ treaty record says, not the nation’s own account.

Treaty or agreementTreaty under documented pressureRemoval treatyAct of CongressExecutive orderNot statedShapes from the 1899 federal record: approximate, not legal boundaries.

The record over time

178018001850190019502000todayTreatiesTreaty of Fort McIntosh, 1785 (1785)Treaty of Fort Harmar with the Wyandot and allied nations, 1789 (1789)Treaty of Greenville, 1795 (1795)Treaty of Fort Industry, 1805 (1805)Wyandot, Ottawa, Chippewa, Munsee, Delaware, Shawnee, and Potawatomi at Fort Industry on the Miami of the Lake (1805) (1805)Treaty of Detroit, 1807 (1807)Chippewa, Ottawa, Potawatomi, Wyandot, and Shawnee at Brownstown, Michigan Territory (1808) (1808)Treaty of Spring Wells, 1815 (1815)Ottawa, Chippewa, and Potawatomi at St. Louis (1816) (1816)Treaty of the Maumee Rapids (Rapids of the Miami of Lake Erie), 1817 (1817)Treaty of Saginaw with the Chippewa, 1819 (1819)Chippewa at Sault Ste. Marie (1820) (1820)Ottawa and Chippewa at L'Arbre Croche and Michilimackinac (1820) (1820)Treaty of Chicago, 1821 (1821)Treaty of Prairie du Chien (1825) (1825)Treaty of Fond du Lac with the Chippewa, 1826 (1826)Treaty of Butte des Morts, 1827 (1827)Winnebago and United Potawatomi, Chippewa, and Ottawa at Green Bay, Michigan Territory (1828) (1828)United Chippewa, Ottawa, and Potawatomi (of the Waters of the Illinois, Milwaukee, and Manitoouck Rivers) at Prairie du Chien, Michigan Territory (1829) (1829)Treaty of Chicago with the Chippewa, Ottawa, Potawatomi, 1833 (1833)Treaty of Washington (1836) with the Ottawa and Chippewa (1836)Chippewa (Swan Creek and Black River Bands in Michigan) at Washington, DC (1836) (1836)Chippewa (Saginaw Band) at Detroit, Michigan (1837) (1837)Treaty of St. Peters (1837) with the Chippewa (1837)Chippewa of Saginaw at Saginaw, Michigan (1838) (1838)Chippewa of Saginaw at Lower Saginaw, Michigan (1839) (1839)Treaty of La Pointe (1842) with the Chippewa of the Mississippi and Lake Superior (1842)Chippewa, Ottawa, and Potawatomi at Agency on the Missouri River near Council Bluffs and at Potawatomi Creek near the Osage River (second date 1846-06-17) (1846) (1846)Chippewa of the Mississippi and Lake Superior at Fond du Lac, Lake Superior (1847) (1847)Chippewa (Pillager Band) at Leech Lake (1847) (1847)Treaty of La Pointe (1854) with the Chippewa of Lake Superior and the Mississippi (1854)Chippewa (Mississippi, Pillager, and Lake Winibigoshish Bands) at Washington, DC (1855) (1855)Treaty of Detroit (1855) with the Ottawa and Chippewa of Michigan (1855)Chippewa of Sault Ste. Marie at Detroit, Michigan (1855) (1855)Chippewa of Saginaw, Swan Creek, and Black River at Detroit, Michigan (1855) (1855)Chippewa of Swan Creek and Black River, and Munsee or Christian at Sauk and Fox Agency, Kansas Territory (1859) (1859)Chippewa (Mississippi, Pillager, and Lake Winibigoshish) at Washington, DC (1863) (1863)Chippewa (Red Lake and Pembina) at Old Crossing, Red Lake River, Minnesota (1863) (1863)Chippewa (Red Lake and Pembina) at Washington, DC (1864) (1864)Chippewa (Mississippi, Pillager and Lake Winibigoshish) at Washington, DC (1864) (1864)Chippewa (Saginaw, Swan Creek, and Black River) at Isabella, Michigan (1864) (1864)Chippewa (Bois Fort Band) at Washington, DC (1866) (1866)Chippewa of the Mississippi at Washington, DC (1867) (1867)Land takenLand of the Chippewa, Delaware and others in Indiana and Ohio, ceded 1795 (area 11) (1795)Land of the Chippewa in Michigan, ceded 1819 (area 111) (1819)Land of the Chippewa in Michigan, ceded 1820 (area 112) (1820)Land of the Chippewa and Ottawa in Michigan, ceded 1820 (area 113) (1820)Land of the Chippewa, Ottawa and others in Indiana and Michigan, ceded 1821 (area 117) (1821)Land of the Chippewa, Delaware and others in Ohio, ceded 1795 (area 12) (1795)Land of the Chippewa, Delaware and others in Ohio, ceded 1795 (area 13) (1795)Land kept by the United States in Wisconsin, 1827 (area 134) (1827)Land of the Chippewa, Delaware and others in Ohio, ceded 1795 (area 14) (1795)Land of the Chippewa, Ottawa nations of the waters of the Illinois, Milwaukee, and Manitowoc rivers and others in Illinois and Wisconsin, ceded 1829 (area 147) (1829)Land of the Chippewa, Ottawa and others in Illinois, ceded 1829 (area 148) (1829)Land of the Chippewa, Delaware and others in Ohio, ceded 1795 (area 15) (1795)Land of the Chippewa, Delaware and others in Indiana, ceded 1795 (area 16) (1795)Land of the Chippewa, Delaware and others in Indiana, ceded 1795 (area 17) (1795)Land of the Chippewa, Delaware and others in Ohio, ceded 1795 (area 18) (1795)Land of the Chippewa, Ottawa and others in Illinois and Wisconsin, ceded 1833 (area 187) (1833)Land of the Chippewa, Ottawa and others in Michigan, ceded 1833 (area 188) (1833)Land of the Chippewa, Ottawa and others in Michigan, ceded 1833 (area 189) (1833)Land of the Chippewa, Delaware and others in Ohio, ceded 1795 (area 19) (1795)Land of the Chippewa, Ottawa and others in Michigan, ceded 1833 (area 190) (1833)Land of the Chippewa, Delaware and others in Ohio, ceded 1795 (area 20) (1795)Land of the Chippewa and Ottawa in Michigan, ceded 1836 (area 205) (1836)Land of the Chippewa and Ottawa in Michigan, recorded 1836 (area 206) (1836)Land of the Chippewa and Ottawa in Michigan, recorded 1836 (area 207) (1836)Land of the Chippewa, Delaware and others in Michigan, ceded 1795 (area 21) (1795)Land of the Swan-creek and Black-river bands of the Chippewa nation residing in Michigan in Michigan, ceded 1836 (area 214) (1836)Land of the Swan-creek and Black-river bands of the Chippewa nation residing in Michigan in Michigan, ceded 1836 (area 215) (1836)Land of the Swan-creek and Black-river bands of the Chippewa nation residing in Michigan in Michigan, ceded 1836 (area 216) (1836)Land of the Swan-creek and Black-river bands of the Chippewa nation residing in Michigan in Michigan, ceded 1836 (area 217) (1836)Land of the Chippewa, Delaware and others in Michigan, ceded 1795 (area 22) (1795)Land of the Chippewa, Saginaw tribe in Michigan, ceded 1837 (area 227) (1837)Land of the Chippewa, Saginaw tribe in Michigan, ceded 1837 (area 228) (1837)Land of the Chippewa, Saginaw tribe in Michigan, ceded 1837 (area 229) (1837)Land of the Chippewa, Delaware and others in Michigan, ceded 1795 (area 23) (1795)Land of the Chippewa, Saginaw tribe in Michigan, ceded 1837 (area 230) (1837)Land of the Chippewa, Saginaw tribe in Michigan, ceded 1837 (area 231) (1837)Land of the Chippewa, Saginaw tribe in Michigan, ceded 1837 (area 232) (1837)Land of the Chippewa, Saginaw tribe in Michigan, ceded 1837 (area 233) (1837)Land of the Chippewa, Saginaw tribe in Michigan, ceded 1837 (area 234) (1837)Land of the Chippewa, Saginaw tribe in Michigan, ceded 1837 (area 235) (1837)Land of the Chippewa, Saginaw tribe in Michigan, ceded 1837 (area 236) (1837)Land of the Chippewa, Saginaw tribe in Michigan, ceded 1837 (area 237) (1837)Land of the Chippewa, Saginaw tribe in Michigan, ceded 1837 (area 238) (1837)Land of the Chippewa, Saginaw tribe in Michigan, ceded 1837 (area 239) (1837)Land of the Chippewa, Delaware and others in Illinois, ceded 1795 (area 24) (1795)Land of the Chippewa, Saginaw tribe in Michigan, ceded 1837 (area 240) (1837)Land of the Chippewa, Saginaw tribe in Michigan, ceded 1837 (area 241) (1837)Land of the Chippewa in Minnesota and Wisconsin, ceded 1837 (area 242) (1837)Land kept by the United States in Indiana, 1795 (area 25) (1795)Land of the Chippewa, Delaware and others in Illinois and Indiana, ceded 1795 (area 26) (1795)Land of the Chippewa of the Mississippi and Lake Superior in Michigan and Wisconsin, ceded 1842 (area 261) (1842)Land of the Chippewa, Ottawa and others in Iowa, ceded 1846 (area 265) (1846)Land of the Chippewa, Ottawa and others in Kansas, ceded 1846 (area 266) (1846)Land of the Chippewa of the Mississippi and Lake Superior in Minnesota, ceded 1847 (area 268) (1847)Land of the Chippewa (Pillager band) in Minnesota, ceded 1847 (area 269) (1847)Land kept by the United States in Illinois, 1795 (area 27) (1795)Land of the Chippewa of the Mississippi and Lake Superior in Minnesota, ceded 1854 (area 332) (1854)Land of the Chippewa of the Mississippi and Lake Superior in Minnesota, ceded 1889 (area 338) (1889)Land of the Chippewa of the Mississippi and Lake Superior in Minnesota, ceded 1889 (area 339) (1889)Land of the Chippewa of the Mississippi and Lake Superior in Wisconsin, recorded 1854 (area 341) (1854)Land of the Chippewa of the Mississippi and Lake Superior in Wisconsin, recorded 1854 (area 342) (1854)Land of the Chippewa of the Mississippi in Minnesota, ceded 1855 (area 357) (1855)Land of the Chippewa of Saginaw, Swan creek, and Black river in Michigan, recorded 1855 (area 396) (1855)Land of the Blackfoot and Chippewa, Ontonagon band in Montana and Wyoming, recorded 1851 (area 398) (1851)Land of the Chippewa of Swan creek and Black River and Christian Indians or Munsee in Kansas, recorded 1836 (area 417) (1836)Land of the Chippewa of Swan creek and Black River in Kansas, ceded 1859 (area 418) (1859)Land of the Chippewa (Red Lake and Pembina bands) in Minnesota and North Dakota, ceded 1863 (area 445) (1863)Land of the Chippewa (Winnibigoshish) and Chippewa of the Mississippi in Minnesota, ceded 1864 (area 453) (1864)Land of the Chippewa (Winnibigoshish) and Chippewa of the Mississippi in Minnesota, ceded 1889 (area 454) (1889)Land of the Chippewa (Winnibigoshish) and Chippewa of the Mississippi in Minnesota, ceded 1864 (area 455) (1864)Land of the Chippewa (Winnibigoshish) and Chippewa of the Mississippi in Minnesota, ceded 1864 (area 456) (1864)Land of the Chippewa (Winnibigoshish) and Chippewa of the Mississippi in Minnesota, ceded 1864 (area 457) (1864)Land of the Chippewa of Saginaw, Swan Creek, and Black River in Michigan in Michigan, recorded 1855 (area 464) (1855)Land of the Chippewa (Bois Forte band) in Minnesota, ceded 1889 (area 483) (1889)Land of the Chippewa (Bois Forte band) in Minnesota, ceded 1889 (area 484) (1889)Land of the Chippewa of the Mississippi in Minnesota, ceded 1867 (area 507) (1867)Land of the Chippewa, Delaware and others in Ohio, ceded 1805 (area 53) (1805)Land of the Chippewa, Delaware and others in Ohio, ceded 1805 (area 54) (1805)Land of the Chippewa, L'Anse and Vieux Desert in Michigan, ceded 1874 (area 569) (1874)Land of the Chippewa of Minnesota in Minnesota, ceded 1883 (area 610) (1883)Land of the Chippewa (Turtle Mountain band) in North Dakota, ceded 1884 (area 654) (1884)Land of the Chippewa (Turtle Mountain band) in North Dakota, recorded 1882 (area 656) (1882)Land of the Chippewa, Ottawa and others in Michigan and Ohio, ceded 1807 (area 66) (1807)Land of the Chippewa, Ottawa and others in Ohio, ceded 1808 (area 70) (1808)Land of the Chippewa of Minnesota in Minnesota, ceded 1889 (area 706) (1889)Land of the Mississippi Chippewa of White Earth reservation in Minnesota, ceded 1889 (area 708) (1889)Land of the Mississippi Chippewa, White Oak band, Pillager and others in Minnesota, recorded 1889 (area 710) (1889)Land of the Chippewa, Ottowa and others in Illinois, ceded 1816 (area 77) (1816)Land of the Chippewa, Ottawa and others in Illinois, ceded 1816 (area 78) (1816)Land kept by the United States in Wisconsin, 1816 (area 78a) (1816)Land of the Chippewa, Delaware and others in Indiana and Ohio, ceded 1817 (area 87) (1817)Land of the Chippewa, Delaware and others in Michigan and Ohio, ceded 1817 (area 88) (1817)Land of the Chippewa, Delaware and others in Michigan, ceded 1817 (area 89) (1817)Land of the Chippewa, Delaware and others in Ohio, ceded 1817 (area 90) (1817)Land of the Chippewa, Delaware and others in Ohio, ceded 1817 (area 91) (1817)Promises brokenGreenville 1795 and Fort Wayne 1809: encroachment, then cession under pressure (1795)Sandy Lake (1850): removal order and annuity relocation in breach of Ojibwe treaties (1850)Mille Lacs (1999): Minnesota's denial of 1837 hunting, fishing and gathering rights (1850)Voigt decision (1983): Wisconsin's denial of 1837/1842 treaty rights (1970)Termination policy: House Concurrent Resolution 108 (1953) and Public Law 280 (1953)In courtBryan v. Itasca County (1976)Jones v. Meehan (1899)Lac du Flambeau Band v. Coughlin (2023)Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe v. Madore (Mille Lacs County) (2025)Minnesota v. Mille Lacs Band of Chippewa Indians (1999)

Circles are land the United States recorded as ceded, sized by acres and colored by how it was taken. Bars are treaties, broken promises, court cases and land returns.

Names

Each name shows where it comes from. A nation’s own name is shown as the nation writes it.

Self-names

Names in treaties and records

Other names in English

Land recorded as ceded

Chippewa (Ojibwe) About 177 million acres recorded as ceded by the end of 1894
  • Treaty or agreement129 million
  • Treaty under documented pressure32 million
  • Removal treaty12 million
  • Executive order550 thousand
  • Not stated4 million

Estimate from Royce’s maps; overlapping cessions counted once. Not a survey or legal measure.

138 cessions. Follow Chippewa (Ojibwe) through the years on the map

Who is doing the work

This history belongs to living nations. Start with them:

Working with these nations

Native legal and land defense, nationally

Gifts go straight to each organization; this atlas takes nothing. Listing is not endorsement: how organizations are listed.

Connections

These links were matched automatically by name or date and have not yet been reviewed by a person.

Land recorded in this nation’s name 138

Show all 138

Party to 43

Show all 43

Present-day governments that carry this history 18

Show all 18

Named in 10

Organizations that work with this nation 2

Part of 1

Governed by 1

Sources

  1. millelacsband.com/unclassified
    For the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, the move marked the beginning of a 250-year relationship with the region.
  2. federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2026/01/30/2026-01899.txtprimary record
    Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, Minnesota
  3. gtbindians.org/history.aspunclassified
    Niinwe nswi shkwaadeng ndijibaami, Odawak, Ojibwek miinawa Bodwe'aadamiik.
  4. michiganology.org/stories/the-anishinaabek-in-michiganunclassified
    Together, they are Anishinaabe, or “original people.”
Research notes

NARA uses Chippewa; seeds also use Ojibwe. Many present-day bands descend from these parties; see successor proposals.

Kind
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