Superior Council of Louisiana, Excerts from Debated on Whether to Intervene in a Choctaw-Chickasaw War (1723)
Jamie Eaves
Paper #1
Feb. 18, 2013
4.2 Superior Council of Louisiana, Excerpts from Debates on Whether to Intervene in a Choctaw-Chickasaw War (1723) In 1723, the council of the early French Louisiana met to make a decision on whether to intervene in a war that was being fought between two of the Native American tribes, the Choctaws and the Chickasaws. This document contains six excerpts from their discussions over the matter and their decision to let the war between the two tribes continue. Three reasons for this decision are promises that were made to the Choctaws, the fear that both tribes might turn against the colony, and that the colony could not compete against the English trade. The decision of the Council of French Louisiana was correct to not intervene and let the war continue between the Choctaws and Chickasaws. Sieur de Bienville was the first of the council to discuss the matter and brought up the three reasons as to why they should let the war continue. The first topic that Bienville discussed was the promise that they had made to their friends and allies, the Choctaws that they would not listen to proposals of peace with the Chickasaws. The alliance with the Choctaws is one of great importance. In our text book it explains how in 1711, the colony’s governor declared that the Choctaw were “the key to this country”. The book continued to describe how the arrival of the French was also beneficial to the Choctaws. Since the Choctaws lived farther from the English and Spanish sources of imported goods than most of their enemies, they became frequent targets of the Chickasaw. The alliance with the French meant that they would receive essentials such as clothes and weapons to help protect them. This is important because it shows how important the alliance between the two are and how it effects eachother. The second topic that was discussed by the council was that if they decided to step in and intervene in the war that both sides might decide to
Paper #1
Feb. 18, 2013
4.2 Superior Council of Louisiana, Excerpts from Debates on Whether to Intervene in a Choctaw-Chickasaw War (1723) In 1723, the council of the early French Louisiana met to make a decision on whether to intervene in a war that was being fought between two of the Native American tribes, the Choctaws and the Chickasaws. This document contains six excerpts from their discussions over the matter and their decision to let the war between the two tribes continue. Three reasons for this decision are promises that were made to the Choctaws, the fear that both tribes might turn against the colony, and that the colony could not compete against the English trade. The decision of the Council of French Louisiana was correct to not intervene and let the war continue between the Choctaws and Chickasaws. Sieur de Bienville was the first of the council to discuss the matter and brought up the three reasons as to why they should let the war continue. The first topic that Bienville discussed was the promise that they had made to their friends and allies, the Choctaws that they would not listen to proposals of peace with the Chickasaws. The alliance with the Choctaws is one of great importance. In our text book it explains how in 1711, the colony’s governor declared that the Choctaw were “the key to this country”. The book continued to describe how the arrival of the French was also beneficial to the Choctaws. Since the Choctaws lived farther from the English and Spanish sources of imported goods than most of their enemies, they became frequent targets of the Chickasaw. The alliance with the French meant that they would receive essentials such as clothes and weapons to help protect them. This is important because it shows how important the alliance between the two are and how it effects eachother. The second topic that was discussed by the council was that if they decided to step in and intervene in the war that both sides might decide to