This book details the growth of the European Fur trade in North America and how it drew the Native Americans who lived in the Great Lakes region, notably the Huron, Dakota, Sauk and Fox, Miami and Shawnee tribes into the colonial European Wars. During the French and Indian War, the American Revolution, and the War of 1812, these tribes took sides and became important allies of the warring nations. However, slowly the Indians were pushed westward by the encroachment of more settlers. This tension finally culminated in the 1832 Black Hawk's War, which ended with the deportation of many tribes to distant reservations.

Introduction /Tribal groups broken down by language /History: French Wars (1740s) - French-Indian War (1750s) - Pontiac's Rebellion (1760s) - The American Revolution (1770s-80s) - The Prophet, Tecumseh, and the War of 1812 (1805-16) - The Black Hawk War and aftermath (1832-40) /Religion /Material culture /Indian leaders

Michael G Johnson has researched Native American history and culture for more than 35 years. He has written a number of books on the subject in the Men-at-Arms series, including Men-at-Arms 344: Tribes of the Sioux Nation. In July 2000 he was presented with The Denali Press Award by the American Library Association, for his Macmillan Encyclopedia of Native American Tribes. He has contributed to exhibitions for the Arts Council of Great Britain and the American Museum in Bath, UK, and has visited more than 30 Indian communities and reservations.