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Treaty with the Sauk and Foxes, 1804

William Henry Harrison · 1804

An 1804 treaty negotiated by William Henry Harrison as governor of Indiana Territory with the Sauk and Fox nations.

Harrison negotiated and signed this treaty as governor of Indiana Territory, directly shaping U.S.–Native relations.

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What it is

This treaty was made at St. Louis between the United States and the united Sac and Fox tribes. William Henry Harrison, then governor of Indiana Territory and superintendent of Indian affairs, signed it as the U.S. commissioner. It sets out terms of protection and a boundary line between United States and tribal lands.

Why it matters

The treaty is a primary record of Harrison's role as a territorial official carrying out U.S. policy toward Native nations. It shows the kind of land agreements that reshaped the Ohio and Mississippi valleys in the early 1800s, agreements negotiated between U.S. officials and tribal chiefs and headmen.

Look closer

  • Who speaks for each side in this treaty, and who is left out of the negotiation?
  • What does the language of "friendship and protection" suggest about the balance of power?
  • Why might boundary lines described in a treaty matter so much to both sides?

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