Pioneer Life





With opening of Northwest Territory, settlers
began arriving in Illinois
Settled on rivers for transportation, water,
and food
Water also used for sawmills and distilleries
Open prairies of east central Illinois were last
to be settled because they lacked resources
and were often swampy and poorly drained
Early settlers hunted rather than farmed, but
game became scarce and led to farming





Settlers first objective was build home for his
family
One room log cabin
Logs held in place by wooden pegs
Space between the logs was filled with mud
or clay
Rarely had windows and light came in
through chimney and doors





Fireplace was most important
Cooking
Heat
Swinging crane held a boiling pot over flame,
and an iron skillet on three legs called a
“spider” rested in the fire
Long pokers and tongs were essential



Clear land of trees so that a crop could be
grown
In first year, farmer chose one crop, usually
corn, as a cash crop
Grew vegetables and raised livestock to feed
family




Fencing materials were scarce and expensive
Gophers and prairie chickens dug out seeds
Indians were still a threat
Had to face uncertain factors of climate and
weather




All clothing was made by hand
As settlement increased, it became possible
to buy cloth, but few did because of price
Young girls became skillful in sewing and
cooking
Men also did it during the winter months




Used animal skins for clothing
Candlemaking, soap making, and bullet
molding were other skills
Whittled toys and dolls from wood
Pioneers of Illinois were industrious, skillful,
creative, brave and cooperative



Why did many settlers flock to Illinois with
the opening of the Northwest Territory?
Describe the homes of the early pioneers.
Families put in many hours of work to survive.
List some of the skills mastered by the
pioneer families.



1820’s were years of rapid expansion
New farms and towns seemed to spring up
overnight
Remaining Indians struggled to retain their
homelands




Settlers, eager for land, were ignore treaties
signed by government and the Indians
1829- federal government ordered Sauk and
Fox Indians to move from their home in NW
Illinois across Miss. River into Iowa
Most obeyed, but some stayed
Indians in modern day Rock Island had their
homes burned and crops destroyed
Elderly chief of the Sauk, Black Sparrow Hawk,
hoped he could negotiate peace
 Argued that forced removal was illegal
 Whites were only concerned with settling Illinois
 1831- Indians were about to plant crops- Black
Hawk ordered whites to leave and they didn’t
 He ordered his braves to burn their cabins
 Whites were convinced that all out war was
coming




Whites forced him to sign a new treaty and
never return to Illinois, but stay in Iowa
Game was scarce and Iowa soil was difficult
to plow
Crossed back into Illinois not looking for war




When whites heard he had returned, they
sent 1000 regular troops and 1935 militia men
to advance on Black Hawk (Abe Lincoln was
leader of volunteers)
Black Hawk only had a few men- hoped other
tribes would join
They refused- Black Hawk sent a peaceful
delegation carrying a white flag of truce
Whites attacked and killed many of
delegation



The white militia, who had 275 men, attacked
Black Hawk and his 40 men
He ordered a suicide charge
Surprised the white men, and they retreated





Caused panic among whites
Indians then attacked cabins, killing 16 whites
and kidnapping two girls
Whites gathered army of 4,000 and chased
Black Hawk into Wisconsin
Black Hawk and his people were exhausted
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH8HMAjjoQ




In final attempt to reach Mississippi and Iowa,
Black Hawk turned west and led people
through unfamiliar wilderness
Finally arrived, but so had whites
Black Hawk offered surrender
Whites opened fire on them, killing many
women and children




War had lasted 15 weeks- 600 Indians and 72
whites had died
Black Hawk was captured and later released
Defeat of Blackhawk symbolized the passing
of the Indian from IL
Nothing left to stop the settlers from pouring
in

In at least a five sentence paragraph, explain
whether or not the Black Hawk War was a
“just” war. Think about how the whites
viewed it. They thought Black Hawk wanted
war, when he really only wanted peace. Did
white fear play into it?



Cherokee Indians were a proud and valiant
nation
Fought with Andrew Jackson in War of 1812
At zenith of their civilization, they held all of
Kentucky and Tennessee



October 1, 1838- driven from Northern
Georgia
Georgians coveted the gold
Jackson, once an Indian friend, had allowed
Georgia government to hack away at
Cherokee Nation





16,000 Cherokees began long march over 800
miles to Oklahoma
Drought had delayed migration
Aged, sick, and very young rode wagons,
while the rest forced to walk
Refused blankets or boots from whites
because of distrust
Many suffered from fever, pneumonia, and
tuberculosis




January- bitter cold had set in
Found themselves trapped by the Mississippi,
which was clogged with ice
Not thick enough to walk across, but too
thick for boats
Five wagon trains were trapped for a month




16,500 left the Cherokee Nation
1,500 were buried along the way
Another 2,500 died of sickness and
malnutrition
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwBXOx
QqkGc

In a paragraph, describe whether or not you
would have done the same that Andrew
Jackson did. Think about how it helped the
nation, but hurt the Indians. Would you have
done the same?