VISUAL ACTIVITY
Treaty of Greenville, 1795 This contemporary painting purports to depict the signing of the Treaty of Greenville. An American officer kneels and writes—not a likely posture for drafting a treaty. One Indian gestures emphatically as if to dictate terms, but in fact the treaty was completely favorable to the United States. Although Indians from a dozen Ohio tribes gathered at the signing ceremony, this picture shows very few Indians.
READING THE IMAGE: How likely is it that the artist actually witnessed the signing of the treaty? Are there clues in the painting that offer evidence?
CONNECTIONS: How did the Jay Treaty of 1795 (see “France and Britain”) influence the Indians’ willingness to capitulate to an unfavorable treaty with the U.S. government?
© Chicago History Museum, USA/Bridgeman Images.