Jessica Crabtree

This month in history marks the start of both the Seven Years’ War and Pontiac’s War – each pivotal events that shaped the course of history for Native & European Americans in profound ways.

This era was a melting pot of cultures and heritages – Indians, frontiersmen, European colonists, traders, and soldiers – making it fertile ground for historical artists. While on the topic, I’ve selected a few of my favorite artists who specialize in period depictions of early America.

David Wright: Artist of the American Frontier

Wright was born and raised in the heart of American frontier country, but trained internationally. He has an impressive portfolio of historical paintings centering on portraits of Native Americans, pioneers and Civil War characters. He also works as a historical consultant for television.

Above: Huron – based on Wes Studi’s role as the Magua in “Last of the Mohicans” (Wright also participated in the production). Interesting to compare with James Bama’s renditions of Studi from this and other movie roles (here for example).

Preparing for the Dance, 20×24 oil on canvas.
Below: Long Way From Home, 9×12 oil on panel. This is one of my favorite portraits – such attentive detail and gripping expressiveness.

John Buxton: Artist of Our Heritage

Focuses on 18th century American life. His earlier career as an illustrator included collaborations with the National Geographic Society.

Kinsman of the Shawnee, 16×26; a beautiful example of the extraordinarily detailed approach taken by this artist. I remember first seeing this piece in a magazine and being able to gaze on it for literally hours – a quality not often reached by modern artists.

Robert Griffing

Robert Griffing at Lord Nelson’s Gallery; also on Paramount Press

Like the above artists, Griffing also was born and raised in the eastern US surrounded by frontier heritage. His particular specialty is portrayals of the Woodland Indians of the early American period. A motive of his work which I find especially compelling is to try to bring life to a period that is often overshadowed by the glamorized image of the West. He achieves this brilliantly.

Above: He Speaks of the Old Ways; below, The Delicate Balance of Honesty – without a pretty large image file it’s hard to do this amazing painting justice. What an amazing composition!

There are many excellent artists such as these who specialize in historical pieces of this period – in fact too many to make an easy selection for a single blog post! I genuinely admire their talent and in particular their keen curiosity and commitment to accuracy that separate them from the artistic crowd.

May 15, 1756: The Seven Years’ War (in America the French and Indian War) begins

In the middle of the 18th century, France and England were the world’s biggest imperial powers, with massive holdings in North America. When they entered this ultimate contest for supremacy, it meant major repercussions for their Indian allies, who were already facing the onslaughts of colonization.

History Channel: May 15, This Day in History

Top Pick: “The War that Made America” docudrama, hosted by Graham Greene (read more…)

War for Empire – official website for the 250-Year Commemoration of the French & Indian War

See all posts tagged with the topic “French and Indian War”

May 7, 1763: Pontiac’s War begins with the siege of Fort Detroit by a coalition of Native American forces

The war is named for Pontiac, an Ottawa chief who led a coalition army in an all-out war to eradicate British influence from the Northwest frontier.

Background

The major result of the French and Indian War (1754-1763) was the changeover of colonial power in North America from French to British hands. The commander in chief of British forces in America was General Jeffrey Amherst, who like many of his peers viewed the Native Americans contemptuously, and this was reflected in the new British policies. Amherst put an end to ceremonial gift giving traditionally used between Indians and their allies, placed strict limits on the sale of weapons to Indians, and severely regulated trade between colonists and Indians.

The French, in contrast to the English, had been less interested in mass-colonization, and thought of Native Americans more as business colleagues. French trappers and fur traders often lived among the Indian nations who were their trade partners, marrying into or being adopted by Indian families; French settlements existed side by side with Native villages. Many of the nations of the “Old Northwest Territory,” comprising the highly desirable land around the Great Lakes and Ohio River Valley, were formerly French allies and found the changes of this new regime alarming.

In addition, peoples of the Old Northwest such as the Ottawa, Miami, Kickapoo, Potawatomi, Ojibway, and Wyandot suffered greatly from the pressures of colonial encroachment. The effects of European diseases, the introduction of liquor through trade, and intertribal conflicts over resources all contributed to a breakdown of family groups and traditional culture. In this setting religious leaders such as Neolin, of the Lenape nation, actively promoted a campaign to shun European customs and embrace traditional values. As with other nativist movements, including those of Tenskwatawa and Wovoka, the religious message became a platform for political unity and eventually a resistance movement – often spearheaded by a charismatic military leader.

Click image for larger view. Image source: University of Omaha website

Legacy

The war ultimately lasted three years and was possibly the most violent and destructive conflict to take place between Native Americans and English colonists since King Philip’s War nearly a century earlier.

It resulted in the fall of several important forts, including Detroit and Michilimackinac, and the death, displacement, or capture of thousands of settlers throughout the Upper Midwest.

The most infamous event during this war was the British use of biological warfare against the Indians, by distributing smallpox-infected blankets among them. Exactly who was responsible for this policy is still controversial, although it is now believed that Amherst alone was not solely responsible.

Although the uprising failed to remove British power from the region, the British were unable to defeat the Native alliance, which led to the revision of many overbearing policies. The ratification of the Proclamation of 1763 barred English expansion into the Old Northwest and recognized the sovereignty of its Native American nations – a decision which outraged American colonists and became a contributing cause of the Revolution. When Americans began expansion into the Northwest Territory after the Revolution – disregarding the Proclamation Line – the British by and large kept the agreements made with Indian nations during Pontiac’s War. They later fought together as allies against the American expansion during the War of 1812. Pontiac’s War set the stage for later pan-Indian movements, such as those led by Tecumseh.

Right: Lord Jeffrey Amherst, 1765 (Wikipedia)

Links

Ohio History Central – related articles

We Shall Remain: Tecumseh’s Vision – (you can watch the American Experience docudrama online here)

The War That Made America – PBS mini-series on the French and Indian War

Michigan State University: History of the Northwest Territory

Wikipedia: Pontiac’s Rebellion

About.com European History: “Pontiac’s War”

This is an impressive website for anyone interested in the history of the French & Indian Wars. The exhibit contains extensive timelines, historical profiles, and first-hand accounts. There is a lot of fascinating information on the lifestyles and traditions of the Indian nations of the Northeast (Five Nations, Huron, and others) and their involvement in the fight for a continent. Very highly recommended!

Deerfield History Museum: Web Exhibit

I first saw this mini-series on PBS a couple of years ago. It’s a great docudrama on the French and Indian War – and being the history buff that I am, I also enjoyed the companion interactive website. (I plan on adding the DVD set to my collection!) Check out My Links for more of my favorite history pages.

www.TheWarThatMadeAmerica.org