|
In 1801, following a tradition begun in Colonial times, the US began minting large silver Peace Medals used in diplomatic relations with American Indians, not only in connection with the signing of treaties (sometimes presented with certificates) but for services rendered. The practice of presenting Peace Medals--begun by the British, French and Spanish as a symbol of maintaining peaceful relations with Indian Nations--was described by Thomas Jefferson in 1793 as "considered as complimentary things, as marks of friendship to those who come to see us, or who do us good offices, conciliatory of their good will towards us, and not designed to produce a contrary disposition towards others. They confer no power, and seem to have taken their origin in the European practice of giving medals or other marks of friendship to the negotiators of treaties and other diplomatic characters, or visitors of distinction."
Though given as symbols of good faith relationships, the US government indeed thought of the receipt of medals as also a sign of submission to the US government--not merely allegiance--its sovereignty, and the medals ultimately came to be decorated with symbols of assimilation on the back. The Original Silver Buchanan Indian Peace Medals were produced with a new reverse. The reverse depicted a peaceful civilized scene with children playing in front of a house with a church in the background. In front of the scene, is an Indian plowing a field. Surrounding this peaceful scene is a dramatic depiction of an Indian scalping another Indian, an Indian princess, a bow, a quiver of arrows, and a peace pipe. This design was created in order to show the advantages of civilization over savagery.
http://www.indianpeacemedal.com/ipjb001.htm
The American Indian perspective was instead that the medals were presented on equal grounds between equal parties, not that they instead signified subjection.
Lewis and Clark used these medals on their trip.
Meriwether Lewis died only a few years after the Expedition, but Clark lived to see drastic changes in the relationships between the native nations and the American nation. In the wake of legislation such as the Indian trade and intercourse acts, the Civilization Act of 1819, and creation of the Office of Indian Affairs in 1824, the goodwill and generosity that had marked the Expedition--implied in the peace medals doled out by Lewis and Clark and inherent in the offers of supplies, hunting privileges, and safe passage by the Native Americans--gave way to pressure by the states for control of the Indians within their boundaries and, east of the Mississippi, for their removal.
http://www.anpa.ualr.edu/f_lewis_clark.htm
American Native Press Archives
Still, when Lewis and Clark presented the medals, it was not simply as a sign of peaceful relationships as they would recite a speech which was intended to explain the US claim of soveriegnty over the territory and the hideous repercussions which would fall upon those who didn't agreeably submit. The White House History Learning center relates this speech in part (recorded in Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns' "Lewis and Clark"):
Children. Your old fathers the French and the Spaniards have gone beyond the great lake toward the rising sun, from whence they never intend returning to visit their former red children.
Children. The great chief of the Seventeen Great nations of America, impelled by his parental regard for his newly adopted children on the troubled waters, has sent us out to clear the road . . . and make it a road of peace.
Children. Know that the great chief who has . . . offered you the hand of unalterable friendship is the great Chief of the Seventeen Great nations of America, whose cities are as numerous as the stars of the heavens, and whose people like the grass of your plains cover . . . the wide extended country . . . to where the land ends and the sun rises from the face of the great waters. . . . [H]e will serve you and not deceive you.
Children. Do these things which your great father advises and be happy . . . lest by one false step you should bring down upon your nation the displeasure of your great father . . . who could consume you as the fire consumes the grass of the plains.
Children . . . Follow [his] counsels and you will have nothing to fear, because the Great Spirit will smile upon your nation in future ages and will make you outnumber the trees of the forest.
Rita Laws writes on the Peace Medals, "The Indian Peace Medal was not only the first numismatic event in our nation, it is one whose impact continues to be felt in modern medal minting practices, and as we shall see, in the political relations between the sovereign tribes and Washington D.C. They have had an impressive impact on more aspects of American life than many people know. They were an integral part of westward expansion, Indian policy, trade practices, presidential politics, numismatic legislation, and even early foreign policy. Indian Peace Medals inspired Inauguration medals for both presidents and governors, many different American Indian theme coins and paper money, and lasting symbols such as the Great Seal of the state of Oklahoma." [http://personalpages.tds.net/~rlaws/IPMbookexcerpt.html]
The Peace Party website reports, "In 1863 President Lincoln at a conference with Native leaders from the Southern Plains presented the leaders with Presidential Peace Medals. Attempting to persuade the Native leaders of the superiority of White society he lectured them with the words, "We are not as a race so much disposed to fight and kill one another as our Red Brethren." Certainly these words must have bewildered the Native leaders as they were aware that over 300,000 men had died in the Civil War up to that point in time and another 300,000 would die before Lincoln himself was assassinated." http://www.bluecorncomics.com/savagena.htm
1892 was the last year the Peace Medals were minted, two years following the Massacre at Wounded Knee. No more were struck after the office of President Benjamin Harrison.
A mother was shot down with her infant; the child not knowing that its mother was dead was still nursing... The women as they were fleeing with their babies were killed together... and after most of them had been killed a cry was made that all those who were not killed or wounded should come forth and they would be safe. Little boys... came out of their places of refuge, and as soon as they came in sight a number of soldiers surrounded them and butchered them there.
Indian Witness to December 29, 1890 massacre at Wounded Knee
Ma-To-Lousah (Swift Bear) wearing Peace Medal and holding fan.
Photograph by Alexander Gardner, 1872.
Chief Hollow Horn Bear wearing Peace Medal, 1900.
From "Crying for a Vision." Photographer John Anderson.
Chief Iron Shell wearing Peace Medal, 1900.
From "Crying for a Vision." Photographer John Anderson.
Alfred Bone Shirt wearing Peace Medal.
 Indian Peace Medals at Indianpeacemedal.com. Images of peace medals. Says it will soon have an image gallery of American Indians and peace medals.
Millard Fillmore Indian Peace Medals were awarded to signers of the Treaty of Fort Laramie.
Bibliography on Peace Medals at Indianpeacemedal.com.
Jefferson Indian Peace Medal.
The Thomas Jefferson Indian Peace Medal American Numismatic Society page.
home : mission statement : contact : site map : search : store : links
DLN coalition : DLN issues : DLN nation : related issues Any reprints are under the Fair Use doctrine of international copyright law : See http://www.dlncoalition.org/fair_use.htm.
|
Photograph--Alfred Bone Shirt Sr. wearing a peace medal.