Thank you for illustrating the reality that Pontiac was facing as a tribal leader. Although brutal he felt justified due to the Native American treatment by the British.
The primary cause of Pontiac's rebellion was NOT land, and their way of life was being changed because Jeffrey Amherst, who had been left in charge of British North America as far as the military went, decided to limit the amount of powder that they would trade with the Native American tribes. Amherst went to William Johnson and asked Johnson what amount of powder and lead a typical Native American warrior used in a year. The normal amount was 8 pounds of powder and 8 pounds of lead roughly. Amherst reduced the amount of powder and lead for each Native American to 5 pounds total, 2 1/2 pounds of each roughly. Amherst believed that the Native Americans needed to be subjugated, as did Colonial Governor Cadwallader Colden who wrote to William Johnson in a letter stating that Native Americans "They should know and feel that they cannot live without us." The idea behind the reduction in powder and lead would mean that if the Native Americans would have just enough to hunt with and not enough to make war. What Amherst didn't realize and failed to grasp was how well armed the Native Americans already were. Pontiac organized those who wouldn't give in to the British and that included the previously loyal Senecas. Pontiac didn't quit the rebellion because he was losing, he quit because the French who those following him hoped would come down from Canada and declare war on the British again did not and therefore Pontiac knew his cause wasn't sustainable. Pontiac hadn't wasn't beaten physically.
Thank you for bringing another great and informative video!
This is wonderful.
Thank you for illustrating the reality that Pontiac was facing as a tribal leader. Although brutal he felt justified due to the Native American treatment by the British.
The primary cause of Pontiac's rebellion was NOT land, and their way of life was being changed because Jeffrey Amherst, who had been left in charge of British North America as far as the military went, decided to limit the amount of powder that they would trade with the Native American tribes. Amherst went to William Johnson and asked Johnson what amount of powder and lead a typical Native American warrior used in a year. The normal amount was 8 pounds of powder and 8 pounds of lead roughly. Amherst reduced the amount of powder and lead for each Native American to 5 pounds total, 2 1/2 pounds of each roughly. Amherst believed that the Native Americans needed to be subjugated, as did Colonial Governor Cadwallader Colden who wrote to William Johnson in a letter stating that Native Americans "They should know and feel that they cannot live without us." The idea behind the reduction in powder and lead would mean that if the Native Americans would have just enough to hunt with and not enough to make war. What Amherst didn't realize and failed to grasp was how well armed the Native Americans already were. Pontiac organized those who wouldn't give in to the British and that included the previously loyal Senecas. Pontiac didn't quit the rebellion because he was losing, he quit because the French who those following him hoped would come down from Canada and declare war on the British again did not and therefore Pontiac knew his cause wasn't sustainable. Pontiac hadn't wasn't beaten physically.