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Treaty of Fort Jackson (Capitulation of the Creeks), 1814

After the Creek War, Andrew Jackson dictated terms at Fort Jackson, taking nearly 22 million acres from the Creek Nation.

Signed
August 9, 1814
Senate
Ratified
Land given up
about 21 million acres
Promises
2 of 2 broken or only partly kept
The land in this treaty’s record. Open on the map

What happened

On August 9, 1814, Major General Andrew Jackson signed "articles of agreement and capitulation" at Fort Jackson, Alabama, with the chiefs, deputies and warriors of the Creek nation. The text blames an "unprovoked, inhuman, and sanguinary war" waged by "the hostile Creeks" and says the United States "demand an equivalent for all expenses incurred" by taking Creek territory west, south and southeast of a line beginning on the Coosa River.

The National Park Service says Jackson was the sole U.S. representative and "dictated the terms." It adds that, although styled a capitulation, the treaty was made with the Creek National Council, an American ally, and the proceedings represented 28 Creek towns. When Jackson's Creek allies pointed out that only a faction had attacked Americans, he replied that they were still responsible. The Park Service puts the cession at nearly 22 million acres. The Encyclopedia of Alabama says more than 21 million and that Jackson imposed "much harsher terms than any of the parties envisioned."

Article 1 let chiefs and warriors friendly to the United States apply for reserves of one square mile. The treaty also barred contact with British and Spanish posts, gave the United States military posts, trading houses and roads, and demanded the surrender of the prophets. The Park Service says the Creek protested that some ceded land belonged to towns that stayed friendly; in 1962 the Indian Claims Commission authorized nearly $4 million for a disputed tract of nearly nine million acres.

The Encyclopedia of Alabama says the cession later led to the removal of most of the Creek nation to the West.

What was promised, and what happened

  • Partly kept

    Friendly chiefs and warriors could keep one-square-mile reserves covering their improvements inside the cession. (Art. 1)

    A limited number were able to obtain private title to their improvements in the ceded territory. nps.gov

  • Broken

    The United States guaranteed the integrity of Creek territory east and north of the line. (Art. 2)

    The vast majority of the Creeks remaining in east Alabama were removed west after the Second Creek War of 1836. encyclopediaofalabama.org

Good to know. Sources differ on the land taken: the National Park Service says nearly 22 million acres, the Encyclopedia of Alabama more than 21 million. The treaty was made with the Creek National Council, a U.S. ally, and took towns that stayed friendly.

Summarized with AI assistance from 5 sources and checked against their words; not yet reviewed by historians or by the nations. Report an error

What the sources say, and how this was checked

Well supported by the sources below.

  1. Articles of agreement and capitulationTreaty with the Creeks, 1814 (Treaty of Fort Jackson) (Oklahoma State University Tribal Treaties Database)
  2. Andrew Jackson served as the sole representative of the United States and dictated the termsSummer 1814: The Treaty of Ft. Jackson Ends the Creek War (National Park Service)
  3. although styled as a military capitulation, the treaty was actually made with the Creek National Council, an American allySummer 1814: The Treaty of Ft. Jackson Ends the Creek War (National Park Service)
  4. The agreement was notable for forcing the Creeks to cede more than 21 million acres of land in the Mississippi TerritoryTreaty of Fort Jackson (Encyclopedia of Alabama)
  5. Many of the Creeks who had allied with the United States objected that they were being punished for the offenses of the Red SticksTreaty of Fort Jackson (Encyclopedia of Alabama)

Research notes. Acreage differs: the National Park Service says nearly 22 million, and the Encyclopedia of Alabama says more than 21 million. The treaty text states no acreage. The NPS says the treaty was made with the Creek National Council, an American ally, and that the lands taken included towns that stayed friendly. The removal point is the Encyclopedia of Alabama's.

What the treaty did to the land

About 21 million acres given up. Each shape is a numbered area in the federal government’s 1899 record of land cessions.

What happened next

Everything the record holds about this land and this treaty, in order: what earlier agreements said, what this one did, and what the United States, the courts and the nations did afterwards.

Who is doing the work today

The nations connected to this treaty come first, then groups returning land and defending treaty rights. Support goes directly to them.

This history belongs to living nations. Start with them:

Native legal and land defense, nationally

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

Sources

  1. digitreaties.org/treaties/treaty/183393123reference work
Research notes

Acreage ~23 million per Wikipedia (pointer). Lands taken from Red Stick and allied Creeks alike.

Shapes are approximate and are not legal descriptions of land, title or jurisdiction.