The Boundaries between us: Natives and newcomers along the frontiers of the Old Northwest Territory, 1750-1850

Abstract

Although much has been written about the Old Northwest, Boundaries Between Us fills a void in this historical literature by examining the interaction between Euro-Americans and native peoples, and their struggles to gain control of the region and its vast resources. Comprised of twelve original essays, Boundaries Between Us formulates a comprehensive perspective on the history and significance of the contest for control of the Old Northwest. The essays examine the sociocultural contexts in which natives and newcomers lived, traded, negotiated, interacted, and fought, delineating the articulations of power and possibility, difference and identity, violence and war that shaped the struggle. The essays do not attempt to present a unified interpretation but, rather, focus on both specific and general topics, revisit and reinterpret well-known events, and underscore how cultural, political, and ideological antagonisms divided the native inhabitants from the newcomers. Together, these thoughtful analyses offer a broad historical perspective on nearly a century of contact, interaction, conflict, and displacement. This volume promises to be of great importance to unfolding discussions in the history of early America, the frontier, and cultural interaction.