Kickapoo | Educating with Evidence | SIU

Kickapoo Introduction

When Illinois became a state in 1818, its founding came with a clear goal: remove all Native peoples from within its borders. Treaties, pressure, and forced relocations soon followed. Yet, the Kickapoo Nation – despite this broader push – was allowed to remain, at least for a time. Their presence was seen by some settlers as manageable, even beneficial.

But that tolerance didn’t last. In 1832, tensions boiled over during the Black Hawk War, when Sauk leader Black Hawk led a group back across the Mississippi River to reclaim ancestral land. Although the Kickapoo did not fight alongside Black Hawk, the war stirred fear, hostility, and growing resentment toward all Native groups still in Illinois.

In the aftermath, the political climate shifted. The war gave new urgency to the idea of “removal,” and even previously tolerated groups like the Kickapoo were no longer welcome.

In this module, you will explore six primary sources that reflect how people viewed the Kickapoo before, during, and after the Black Hawk War. These sources include both positive and negative perspectives. After your exploration, complete the activity at the end and consider where they should be organized.

As you explore the historical sources provided, consider the following essential questions:

1. To what extent did the Black Hawk War influence the Kickapoo’s removal?

2. Did public attitudes shift solely because of the war, or were there signs the Kickapoo themselves had changed?

3. How reliable were newspaper accounts that argued for or against the Kickapoo?

4. Were these changes driven more by perception or by real shifts in behavior – either from settlers or Native communities?