Land Succession and Sovereignty
There have been multiple pieces of evidence of the Indigenous diplomacy during the Louisiana purchase. However, as we can see with the following pieces of evidence, that France went on to sell the rights of the land to the United States. Without a thought of the consequence this would cause for Indigenous nations. For example, there was evidence that Indigenous nations were living on the land of Louisiana before the purchase occurred. Even though, France had sovereign title over the land, it was the Indian nations who occupied it. However, the Indian nations exercised an “independent political nation”5 on the land. So, when France sold the land to the United States, it was the Indian nations who were living on it. Which makes you question whether it was France’s political right to sell the land, or if the land should have been the Indian nations right to sell?
After learning about how the Indian nations occupied the land during the Louisiana purchase, we can look at a map that was drawn up at the time. On this map, it details the Indian nations who were currently living on the land at the time it was sold. Some of these nations included, Sioux, Osage, Choctaw, Cherokee and many others.6 This demonstrates that even though the France held the title to the land, it was the Indian nations who lived and controlled the land. Thus, showing that the United States must make treaties with the Indigenous nations. Unfortunately, all these tribes were forced to leave their homes in one way or another due to the land not being owned anymore by the French.
Lastly, we can see that in 1809, the United States had the southern Lake Indians sell 2.5 million acres to the United States. This happened in the Treaty of Fort Wayne. This treaty did not benefit both sides of the agreement, since the United States threatened to “withhold their annuity goods if they refused”.7 This was just another way for the United States to forcibly take land from the Indians so that they could settle on it themselves. The United States knew that the Indians relied on their goods. So, when the Indians demanded more goods they needed, regardless of the money they could pay for them. The United States suggested that to pay off their ensuing debts, they just sell their land instead. This became a tool for the United States to strongarm their control and power, and force land successions.
5McNeil, Kent. "Louisiana Purchase: Indian and American Sovereignty in the Missouri Watershed." Western Historical Quarterly 50, no. 1 (2019): 17. https://doi.org/10.1093/whq/why135.
6Starr & Co. Map of the United States: drawn from the most approved surveys. New York: Starr & Co, 1826. Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/2007626857/.
7Nichols, David A. “US Indian Policy, 1783–1830.” Oxford Research Encyclopedia of American History, October 5, 2015. https://oxfordre.com/americanhistory/americanhistory/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199329175.001.0001/acrefore-9780199329175-e-42.