Tecumseh

Tecumseh was a very significant Native American who gave his life for what he believed. He knew that the Americans were a tremendous threat to all Indian tribes, and realized that the Indians would be destroyed one by one if not united. Tecumseh created a confederation of thirty-two tribes in hopes that the Americans would recognize their borders and thus put a halt to westward expansion. His confederation may have succeeded if it were not for the mistakes made by his brother, Laulewasika, the Americans violent actions towards the Indian tribes, and the unwillingness of the different tribes to cooperate.

Tecumseh was born in March of 1768. His real name was Tecumtha, which meant "panther lying in wait," but to the white men he was called Tecumseh which stood for "shooting star." His father was a Shawnee war chief named Puckeshinwa who was an intelligent man that saw the advantage of keeping friendly relations with the Americans (Patriot 137). When Tecumseh was a young boy, his father was shot by a group of settlers that were in the Shawnee's land. When his father did not come home, Tecumseh went out in search of him. When he found his father dying from the wound and learned what had happened he was filled with rage and animosi

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The Indians looked to their prophet Tenskwatawa for a prediction, and he told him that they would defeat their enemy (Blodgett). The British did not want war to break out, but they didn't want to lose the support of the Indians (Dictionary 1126). She taught Tecumseh to speak some English and helped him to learn to read. Blackfish saw the Americans as a threat and urged that they had to be stopped. The Americans would seek out small, weak tribes and offer them money and goods for land which was not even theirs. A Shawnee