Treaty of Washington (1836) with the Ottawa and Chippewa

What happened

On March 28, 1836, Henry R. Schoolcraft, commissioner for the United States, signed a treaty at Washington with the Ottawa and Chippewa nations, through their chiefs and delegates. Article 1 ceded all the country within boundaries running from the mouth of Grand River on Lake Michigan to Thunder Bay and Lake Huron and along the straits and the St. Mary's River to Lake Superior. It covered all lands and islands within those limits not reserved. The treaty states no total acreage.

Article 2 reserved tracts to be held in common for five years from ratification, "and no longer," unless the United States permitted a longer stay. They included 50,000 acres on Little Traverse Bay, 20,000 on Grand Traverse Bay and 70,000 at or north of the Pierre Marquette River. Article 4 pledged a $30,000 annuity for twenty years, with money for schools, missions, tools and medical care. It also promised $150,000 in goods and provisions on ratification. Article 5 set $300,000 for the nations' debts, and Article 6 set $150,000 for relatives of Indian descent.

Article 8 said that when the Indians wished, a deputation would choose a final home southwest of the Missouri River, and the United States would remove them at its expense. In Article 13 the Indians kept a right to hunt on ceded lands until the land was required for settlement. The treaty was proclaimed on May 27, 1836.

Summarized with AI assistance from 3 sources and checked against their words; not yet reviewed by historians or by the nations. Report an error