44 Facts About Tenskwatawa

Tenskwatawa was a younger brother of Tecumseh, a leader of the Shawnee.

Tenskwatawa denounced the Americans, calling them the offspring of the Evil Spirit, and led a purification movement that promoted unity among the Indigenous peoples of North America, rejected acculturation to the American way of life, and encouraged his followers to pursue traditional ways.

At Prophetstown the brothers' pan-American Indian resistance movement increased to include thousands of followers, with Tenskwatawa providing the spiritual foundation.

On November 7,1811, while Tecumseh was away, Tenskwatawa ordered the pre-dawn attack on an American military force encamped near Prophetstown that initiated the Battle of Tippecanoe.

Tenskwatawa remained as an exile in Canada for nearly a decade.

Tenskwatawa returned to the United States in 1824 to assist the US government with the Shawnee removal to reservation land in present-day Kansas.

Tenskwatawa died at what is known as the Argentine district of present-day Kansas City, Kansas, in 1836.

Lalawethika, who as an adult changed his name to Tenskwatawa, was one of a set of triplet brothers born in early 1775 to Puckeshinwa and Methoataske in a Shawnee village along the Mad River in western Ohio.

Tenskwatawa's father, Puckenshinwa, was a leader of the Kispokotha division of the Shawnee tribe.

Tenskwatawa was killed fighting against the Virginia militia in the Battle of Point Pleasant before Tenskwatawa was born.

Tenskwatawa, who was not as successful or brave as his brothers, was a failure "at almost everything he attempted" during his youth.

When Chiksika, his oldest brother and a leading warrior, took his brothers out to hunt and fight in small battles, Tenskwatawa stayed behind because he lacked competence as a skilled hunter and warrior.

Tenskwatawa was never able to distinguish himself as a hunter or fighter as Tecumseh, another of his older brothers.

In contrast, Tenskwatawa was isolated, unpopular, and depressed by his lack of success.

Tenskwatawa began drinking alcohol, which further lowered his self-esteem and increased his problems.

Tenskwatawa blinded himself in his right eye with his own arrow when he was younger.

Lonely and insecure, Tenskwatawa attempted to make up for his deficiencies by boasting and making up stories about how talented and important he was.

In 1794, nineteen-year-old Tenskwatawa was present at the Battle of Fallen Timbers with two of his brothers, Tecumseh and Sauwauseekau, but he did not distinguish himself as a warrior.

Tenskwatawa experienced his first vision in May 1805, when he fell into unconsciousness during one of his alcoholic stupors and was thought to be dead.

Tenskwatawa became known as "The Prophet," began preaching and gathered a growing number of followers.

Tenskwatawa soon emerged as a powerful and influential spiritual leader.

Tenskwatawa wanted his people to reject the white man's customs by forbidding marriages between Indians and whites, as well as the use of Euro-American foods, clothing, and manufactured goods.

Tenskwatawa encouraged his people to follow traditional gender roles.

Tenskwatawa proved to be harsh, even brutal, in his treatment of those who opposed him and his teachings.

Tenskwatawa accused his detractors, and anyone who associated with settlers, of witchcraft, including Indians who had converted to Christianity.

In 1805 Tenskwatawa, who evolved into an effective speaker and charismatic leader of his religious movement, formed a new community with his followers along the White River, near the present site of Greenville in western Ohio.

Tenskwatawa urged the Delawares to challenge Tenskwatawa to perform a miracle, such as causing "the sun to stand still".

Tenskwatawa responded by correctly predicting that an eclipse would occur on June 16,1806.

Tenskwatawa opposed some tribal leaders, such as Little Turtle, and their representatives because he felt that they had agreed to the demands of the government.

When some of the tribal chiefs tried to promote compromise and conciliation with the United States, Tenskwatawa, proclaiming his obedience to the Great Spirit, lashed out against the pro-US sympathizers and castigated them as wicked traitors.

Some of Prophetstown's inhabitants became nervous about the rising tension between settlers and natives and left the village, but Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa continued to recruit young warriors to join their movement.

However, Tenskwatawa reconsidered the decision after Tecumseh's departure and prepared their warriors to fight the settlers if they approached Prophetstown.

Tenskwatawa assured the warriors that he would cast spells that would make them immune to their bullets and any other harm as well as confuse Harrison's army so they would not resist.

Tenskwatawa, who did not take part in the action on the field, remained out of range of US bullets.

Tenskwatawa became an outcast, and some of his followers returned to rebuild Prophetstown in July 1812, but settler militia forces eventually forced them away.

Tenskwatawa, who observed the battle from a position behind the British line, fled on horseback after the initial charge from the American forces.

Tenskwatawa remained in exile in Canada and did not return to the United States until 1824.

Tenskwatawa hoped his involvement would allow him to regain some influence as a leader among the Shawnee.

In 1826 Tenskwatawa traveled through Vincennes with a group of 500 Shawnee from reservation land at Wapaghkonetta, Ohio, and headed west across the Mississippi and Kansas Rivers to the Shawnee reservation in present-day Kansas.

Tenskwatawa, who arrived in Kansas on May 14,1828, established a village called Prophetstown on reservation land in the Argentine district of present-day Kansas City, Kansas.

Tenskwatawa faded into obscurity and died in 1836, twelve years after he departed to Kansas.

Tenskwatawa died in November 1836 at his cabin, a site in present-day Kansas City's Argentine district.

Tenskwatawa preached unity and helped to improve the morale of his people by encouraging them to pursue traditional ways.

Tenskwatawa remained resolute in his rejection from his family and the of United States authority and acculturation to the Euro-American way of life.