Friday, February 12, 2010

HUM 221: Potawatomi Trail of Death - questions for in-class discussion

Here are links to some resources on the Potawatomi Trail of Death, which ran through Springfield in the autumn of 1838 ... and on the Potawatomi people today, their culture and history. But first, a quiz. Post your answers as comments to this blog post:
1. At what restaurant in downtown Springfield did people eat lunch while they were retracing the Trail of Death in 2003? (Hint: Since then it has moved to the Vinegar Hill building south of the Illinois State Capitol). What was the point of commemorating the event?

2. Why was the Trail of Death called by that name?

3. What were the Indians promised if they looked presentable when they marched through Springfield? How were they received in Jacksonville? What was different about their passage through the two communities?

4. Who was Fr. Benjamin Petit? Where and when did he die? What does he tell you about Potawatomi culture of the 1830s? Why is he important to the story of the Trail of Death?
Now, here are the links ... in no logical order (unless Google has some logic to its directory that escapes me at the moment). You'll find answers to those questions on these websites.

The Prairie Band of the Potawatomi Nation has a map and a list of historical markers commemorating the Trail of Death. Look for markers near Springfield and nearby cities.

The Fulton County (Ind.) Historical Society's diary of the Trail of Death has a brief, but detailed account of the journey. Read it from start to finish to get an idea of the hardship involved. What do you make of the treatment the Potawatomi received in Springfield and in Jacksonville?

An educational project from Urbana School District 116 has several first-hand or primary sources on the Trail of Death. Read especially the story in The Sangamo Journal (which is misspelled on the website, incidentally). What does the Journal's description of the Potawatomi and their fear of the Cherokee tell you about white attitudes toward Indians during the 1830s?

Indiana's Fulton County Historical Society has posted an account of its commemorative caravan across Illinois in September 2003. The historical society's website also has accounts of the caravan in Indiana, Missouri and Kansas.

For the rest of the story, we'll also look at the official website of the Prairie Band and follow the link to the pages on their history culture. When we look at the history of an Indian Nation, it's always a good idea to look at today's website and see what they're like today.

24 comments:

Pokagon Member said...

bohzo (hello)

I have and maintain a news site for the Potawatomi that might intrest you if you are looking for things regarding the "Trail of death."

Megwetch (Thank You)
David

Michael D. said...

"It is called the “trail of Death” because almost daily as they crossed Indiana and Illinois children and old folk died."-Keith Drury http://www.trailofdeath.org/

dave maziarz said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Chris Day said...

they ate lunch at the Holy Land restaurant by the Old Capitol building

Anonymous said...

It is called the trail of death because many people died during the passage through Indiana and Illinois

Lucas Baugher said...

Because of the many deaths that occurred on the ten week journey, the removal became known as the Trail of Death.

mikefleshman said...

It is called the trail of death becuase many people died on a daily basis as they crossed Indiana and Illinois

Anonymous said...

They ate at the Holy land restaurant.

Unknown said...

"It is called the “trail of Death” because almost daily as they crossed Indiana and Illinois children and old folk died."-Keith Drury http://www.trailofdeath.org/

Unknown said...

They ate at the Holy Land restaurant.

Brad Selvaggio said...

1. We ate lunch at the Holy Land restaurant by the Old Capitol building

2. So many died along the way that it is called the Trail of Death

3.The men were promised tobacco if they mad a good appearance going through Springfield.

4.Fr. Benjamin Petit, the French priest who converted the Menominee village and lobbied to leave the Indians at their home at Twin Lakes.

http://www.culver.lib.in.us/trail_of_death.htm#PETIT

Jake Hill said...

1) Holy Land Restaurant in Springfield.

2) It is called by this name because over 40 people died during this journey.

3) The men where promised tobacco.

4) Father Petit died in the Jesuit seminary building on November 4, 1838. he was important because he was ministering to their needs, both spiritual and material on their march to Kansas territory.

dave maziarz said...

1.) holy lqnd restaurant
2.)it was called trail of death because so many died along the way
3.)they were promised tobacco
4.)Father Petit converted the village and wanted to leave the native americans where they were

Anonymous said...

they were promised tobacco if they were presentable in Springfield.

Father Petit died in the Jesuit seminary building on November 4, 1838. he was important because he was ministering to their needs, both spiritual and material on their march to Kansas territory

Lucas Baugher said...

1. ate lunch at the Holy Land resaurant.
2. many indians died during the ten week journey.
3.if the indians dressed up when they went to springfield, they were promised tobacco. in jacksonville, they were allowed time to wash clothes, and go search for water.
4.Father Petit died in the Jesuit seminary building on November 4, 1838. Many Indians looked to him for guidance along the journey.

http://www.kansasheritage.org/PBP/history/trail_mtls.html

brok said...

1.Holy Land Diner
2.It is called the trail of death due to all of the people that died along the way.
3. Then men were promised Tobacco. When they went to Jacksonville they were given tobacco and had a band play and follow them through the town.
4.April 8, 1811 - February 10, 1839) was a Catholic missionary sent to the Potawatomi nation of Native Americans in Indiana in 1837. A native of Rennes in Brittany, Petit was trained as a lawyer at the University of Rennes, then studied for the preisthood at the Saint-Sulpice Seminary in Paris. In 1836, he came to the United States to work with Bishop Simon Bruté in Indiana. Also a native of Rennes, Bruté ordained Petit as a priest in 1837 and sent him to work among the Potawatomi.
Father Petit did not live to see his Bishop again. Exhausted by his strenuous journey and weakened by successive attacks of fever, he died at St. Louis on February 10, 1839. He was not quite twenty nine years old." [2]

Michael D. said...

1) Holy Land restaurant.

2)"It is called the “trail of Death” because almost daily as they crossed Indiana and Illinois children and old folk died."-Keith Drury http://www.trailofdeath.org/

3)The men were promised tobacco if they mad a good appearance going through Springfield. While in Jacksonville, the local Band played a concert for them. Two children died in Springfield while only one died in Jacksonville
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM5VER_Potawatomie_Trail_of_Death

4)Benjamin Marie Petit was a Catholic missionary sent to the Potawatomi nation of in Indiana in 1837. Father Petit died in the Jesuit seminary building at 9th and Washington Streets and was buried in the old cemetery at 7th Street and St. Charles Avenue.
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Petit
He described the hardships and the anguish of the trail of death.

lena ater said...

The the restraunt they ate at was called the holyland dinner.

It was call the daeth trail because of how many people died durring that (march)trail. they were promised tabcco. petit was an eye witness to what actually happened on the death trail.

lena ater said...

The the restraunt they ate at was called the holyland dinner.

It was call the daeth trail because of how many people died durring that (march)trail. they were promised tabcco. petit was an eye witness to what actually happened on the death trail.

Catey Rutschke said...

1. They ate at the Holy Land restaurant. They retraced the journey to visit every historical marker and to get some sense of what the Indians had to travel on that journey.
2. It was called the Trail of Death because the Indians were rounded up and forced to make this journey. So many got sick and died and they just buried them on the side of the road.
3. The Indians were promised tobacco if they were presentable while passing through Springfield. In Jacksonville they were met with a band and given tobacco and pipes by the citizens.
5. Fr. Benjamin Petit was the youngest priest. He got sick and died at Jesuit Seminary in St. Louis on February 10, 1839. He was important because he was looked up to and tried keeping up the little spirits the Indians had left by holding mass and bapitizing the dying babies.

Kathleen said...

1.They ate lunch at the Holy Land Diner in the Old Capital Plaza
"Illinois PBS TV video- taped us at Springfield's Old Capitol Plaza. We ate lunch at the Holy Land restaurant by the Old Capitol building."
2.In 1838, government agents forcibly removed 859 Potawatomi Indians from their homes in Indiana and Michigan to a reservation in Kansas. Because of the many deaths that occurred on the ten week journey, the removal became known as the Trail of Death.
3.1. Promised Tobacco if they looked presentable during the march through Springfield. Treated much better in Jacksonville. Indians were given tobacco and pipes as a band played http://www.kansasheritage.org/PBP/history/trail_mtls.html
4.Fr. Benjamin Petit died in St Louis on February 10, 1839. The Indians begged their "Father Black Robe" to accompany them on their forced removal from Indiana in September 1838. His superior, Bishop Simon Brute` of Vincennes, Indiana, finally consented, in time for him to join them enroute at Danville, Illinois, ministering to their needs, both spiritual and material on their march to Kansas territory. http://www.htctech.net/~fchs/petit.htm

Anonymous said...

in Jacksonville they were promised they could look for water to drink and wash

Kyle K. said...

1.) Holy Land Restaurant in Springfield.
2.)its called the trail of death because a lot of people died traveling from Illinois to Indiana.
3.)men were promised tobacco
4.)Father Petit died in the Jesuit seminary building on November 4, 1838.

jessica_handy said...

1. Holy Land resturant
2. Typhoid fever and the stress of the forced march led to the death of over 40 individuals, mostly children.
3. In Springfield they were promised tobacco, and in Jacksonville they were allowed to wash their clothes.
4. Fr. Benjamin Marie Petit, who marched with his congregation of natives, died in St. Louis on February 10, 1839, as a result of the rigors of the journey.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potawatomi_Trail_of_Death