Native Americans in the American Revolution

September 15, 2014

Schmidt (history, Texas Tech Univ. Delta State Univ.; The Divided Dominion) draws on his expertise in Native American history to provide an account of the role of Native Americans in the American Revolution and their effect on the conflict. The author's guide to the principal Native American groups during the revolution covers four geographic groups: Southern (Cherokees, Creeks, Choctaws, Chickasaws, and Catawbas); Northern (Abenakis and Stockbridge); the six nations of the Iroquois confederacy (Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, Senecas, and Tuscaroras); and Ohio Valley (Shawnees, Delawares, Mingos, and Miamis). A seven-page time line of major events spans the years 1754-82, and an introductory chapter provides a political and diplomatic context to the American Revolution for Native Americans. The main body of the work includes chapters on Pontiac's rebellion, the collapse of British Indian Policy, the conduct of the war in various regions, the assault on Indian land, and the current situation. The endnotes are both bibliographic and explanatory, and a bibliographic essay on allied scholarly literature follows. Though the title is meant for general and college or university student readers, scholars will want to compare Schmidt's work to Colin G. Calloway's The American Revolution in Indian Country (1995) and consider this as a textbook for Native American or American Revolution history courses. VERDICT Rather than adding this to reference collections, this should be considered for circulating collections in public and academic libraries.--Rosanne Cordell, Northern Illinois Univ., DeKalb

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