Pontiac
1720–1769
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Following the conclusion of the war, the native allies of the French soon grew discontent with their treatment by the victorious British, who restricted their access to the gunpowder and ammunition needed for effective hunting. Pontiac, sharing in this dissatisfaction, sought to put up a resistance that would drive away the British and restore the old alliances that had been in place. In April 1763, he held a large council, asking those who attended to assist him in an attack on Fort Detroit, and shortly thereafter he travelled to the military base to determine its strength. The siege, which launched the war known as Pontiac’s Rebellion, was ultimately unsuccessful, but it inspired a newfound self-assurance among the Native Americans in the area. Several more attacks against British forts soon followed, but the extent of Pontiac’s influence in these raids is unknown. After failing to take Detroit, the chief withdrew to the Illinois Country; beyond a victory at the Battle of Bloody Run, he did not actively engage in the war, but he continued to encourage resistance to British occupation. At last, in 1766, the Ottowa leader met with the British Superintendent of Indian Affairs and put an end to the war.
Pontiac still faced difficulties even after the rebellion; his fame among the Europeans led him to lord over his people, abusing his position until he was forced from his village. He returned to the Illinois Country, where a year later he was murdered by a Peoria Indian. The cities of Pontiac, Michigan and Pontiac, Illinois were named in his honor.
Key events during the life of Pontiac:
| Born. | |
| Allied with New France against a Huron resistance. | |
| French and Indian War. | |
| Supposedly met with British soldier Robert Rogers. | |
| Pontiac's Rebellion. | |
| Battle of Bloody Run. | |
| Rogers wrote the play Ponteach: or the Savages of America. | |
| Exiled from his Ottowa village. | |
| Murdered by a Peoria Indian. |
Other Resources
| The Great Conspiracy in | Conquest of the Old Northwest by James Baldwin |
| Pontiac's War in | Indian History for Young Folks by Francis S. Drake |
| Early Years of the English Dominion in | Canada: Peeps at History by Beatrice Home |
| Rebellion of Pontiac in | This Country of Ours by H. E. Marshall |
| Pontiac in | Four American Indians by Frances M. Perry |
| Bloody Belt of Pontiac in | Boy's Book of Indian Warriors by Edwin L. Sabin |
Image Links | ||
|---|---|---|
 I stand in your path in Conquest of the Old Northwest |
 At one time he raised the belt of wampum in Conquest of the Old Northwest |
 Pontiac and the Siege of Detroit in Indian History for Young Folks |
 Pontiac and Gladwyn in Indian History for Young Folks |
 Pontiac's attack on the fort in Indian History for Young Folks |
 Pontiac foiled at Detroit in Canada: Peeps at History |
 Pontiac and Rogers in Four American Indians |
 Pontiac's Speech in Four American Indians |
 Pontiac's Eloquence in Four American Indians |
Pontiac, the Red Napoleon in Boy's Book of Indian Warriors |
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| Robert Rogers | Leader of a band of mountain men who did great service for Britain during the French and Indian War. |
| General Montcalm | Military leader of New France during the Seven Year War; died at Battle of Quebec. |
| Alexander Henry Jr. | Canadian Fur Trader, nephew of Alexander Henry the Elder, who kept extensive journasl of his travels in the northwest. |