The American Revolution was a turning point in America’s history in which the original Thirteen Colonies became The United States of America and gained independence from the British Empire. This period was a time of warfare and disagreement when the Colonies rebelled against the British in attempt to gain their own freedom. During this time, other inhabitants of present day America included the Native Americans. This indigenous group played a key role in the early stages of the American Revolution.

It was initially decided by the Native Americans to stay out of what they refered to as the “white mans war”. Eventually, they joined sides with the British, lured by promises and presents. Although the white settlers instilled fear and hatred among the Native Americans and their loyalty to the British was often tested, they stayed reliable to British forces.

The British and the Indian allies worked together to harass the colonies and made threats in attempt to regain lost land in the Northern border and thereby gain much assess to the West. Finally, in 1779, the Americans finally took their threats seriously and acted on them. Washington believed that based on the relative inactivity in the northern front he could spare troops to resolve the Indian problem. The Americans formed a complicated scheme for the military expedition: General John Sullivan would advance north with nearly 2,500 troops from Pennsylvania; Colonel Daniel Brodhead was to advance north from Pittsburg with 600 troops. General James Clinton would lead an additional 1,500 troops south from the Mohawk Valley so meet up with Sullivan. Once the military combined, they would go forward to Niagara, the front of the Indians. Sullivan had an ultimate goal of wiping out the entire Iroquois Confederacy.

The plan was not executed as intended and thus gave the enemy a chance to flee. It wasn’t until August that the forces approached the enemy territory. There was very little fighting, only a few ambushes. For the most part, the Indian enemy fled before the Americans were able to reach them. Therefore, the ambush turned into a vast destruction of Indian property and crops. Successive towns were burned including stores and orchards. Although very little of the Indian population was killed or caught, General Sullivan practically wiped out their agricultural economy.

Indian resistance to the advancement of the “white man” did not stop. In the South many Native American tribes came together to form a pan-Indian Confederacy dedicated to fighting those who invaded their land. By possessing Spanish arms gained in trade, the Indians were able to slow white advances. Alexander McGillivray delivered the message of the pan-Indian Confederacy to the United States Congress:

We Chiefs and Warriors of the Creek Chickesaw and Charokee Nations do hereby in the most solemn manner protest any title or claim or demand the American Congress may set up for or against our lands, settlements, and hunting grounds in consequence of the said treaty of peace between the King of Great Britain and the States of America declaring that we are not partys, so we are determined to pay to attention to the manner in which the British negotiators has drawn out the lines of the lands in question ceded to the Unites States of America- it being a notorious fact known to the Americans, known to every person who is any ways conversant in, or acquainted with American affairs , that has Brittannick Majesty was never possessed either by session purchase or right by conquest of our territories and which the said treaty gives away. . . .

The Americans. . . . have divided our territories into countys and state themselves down on our land, as if they were their own. . . . We have repeatedly warned the states of Carolina and Georgia to desist from these encroachments. . . . to these remonstrances we have received friendly talks and replys it is true but while they are addressing by the flattering appellations of friends and brothers they are stripping us of our natural rights by depriving us of that inheritance which belonged to our ancestors and hath descended from them to us since the beginning of time. [Founding Myths – Ray Raphael Pg. 233]

The Americans tried to strategize to wean the Indians from their British allies who promised them assistance and pledges that the white population would be contained. The Indians were eventually let down when their population became outnumbered and the uprising power of the “white man” overcame them. For the Indian population, fighting in attempt to save their culture was necessary given the circumstances. However it was inevitable that the “white man” would conquer them based on their advances. The American Revolution would have occurred whether the Indians existed or not and the fact that they fought against the early Americans was merely a speed bump compared to the rest of the Revolution.