A large gathering of Native Americans in traditional attire, some holding spears and flags, in a grassy clearing with a fort in the distant background. A chief stands prominently in the center.

When the French and Indian War was going on, lots of American and English people who bought and sold furs started going over the Appalachian Mountains into a place called the Ohio Valley. Many Native American tribes, like the Ottawa, Shawnee, and Miami, chose to help the French during this war. They definitely didn't want new settlers moving onto their land. The French traders, though, acted like friends to the Native Americans. They would have big parties and give them presents. After some small fights broke out between the American settlers and the Native Americans, the British government sent a man named Lord Jeffrey Amherst to try and keep things calm. But Amherst did some things that made the Native Americans very unhappy. He made the British goods they traded for much more expensive. He also took away land that the British had promised to the Native Americans in special agreements called treaties. Because they were so angry, the Native Americans found a strong leader named Chief Pontiac, who was from the Ottawa tribe. Pontiac led a surprise attack by Native Americans on the British military base called Fort Detroit. Soon, many other Native Americans who wanted to fight the British and the settlers joined him. By September of 1763, the Native Americans had taken control of most of the Ohio Valley. Just one month later, the British fought back and took back the land they had lost. Pontiac's War didn't last for long after that. The Native Americans found out that the See more