Sovereignty and Silver: Midwest Allies in the Revolution | The Look Back

What can a British Peace Medal presented to a Menominee chief tell us about the American Revolution in Wisconsin?

From the 1600s through the 1800s, Spanish, French, British, and American government officials, missionaries, and traders gave presentation medals to American Indians for a variety of reasons. They may have been given to secure an alliance, commemorate a treaty signing, honor Native visitors to a city, or as a reward for service. Sir Frederick Haldimand, a British army officer and colonial official, gave this medal to Menominee Chief Chawanon — also known as Chakachokama, or Tsheka Tshake Mau — in 1778. It’s a reminder of how Native nations were involved in the Revolutionary War.

NOTE: The closed captions are also available in Spanish.