Brandon Lazore on Native American Perspectives for America 250

Indigenous Sovereignty and Alliances During the Revolution

Long before the first shots were fired at Lexington and Concord, Indigenous communities across North America maintained sophisticated governance structures, diplomatic ties, and extensive trade networks. According to historical records cited by Native News Online, east of the Mississippi River alone, dozens of sovereign Native nations exercised sovereignty over their homelands. When colonial tensions erupted into war, both British officials and American revolutionaries actively sought Native allies. Indigenous leaders evaluated these overtures as independent political entities.

For example, the Cherokee nation maintained decades of formal diplomatic relations with the British Crown, solidified through agreements such as the 1721 trade treaty with South Carolina and the 1730 Treaty of Whitehall signed in London. Following the French and Indian War, Britain issued the Proclamation of 1763 to restrict colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains, an effort that many Cherokee leaders viewed as a potential buffer against relentless colonial expansion. As armed conflict intensified, British authorities supplied weapons and trade goods to their allies. In 1776, Cherokee warriors launched defensive attacks along the southern frontier, prompting American military forces to retaliate by destroying numerous Cherokee towns and seizing additional territory, according to Native News Online.

Diverging Paths Among Native Nations

Tribal responses to the conflict varied significantly across different regions of the continent. According to Native-Americans.org, some communities sought to remain neutral, but escalating violence and intense pressure from both belligerents made neutrality practically impossible to maintain. In the Great Lakes region, members of the Three Fires Confederacy—comprising the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations—aligned with the British, leveraging established trade partnerships and military experience to protect regional supply routes and forts.

Conversely, other nations chose to support the American revolutionary cause. The Oneida and Tuscarora Nations allied directly with the Continental Army, providing essential support as guides, messengers, and soldiers. According to historical accounts, the Oneida’s decision stemmed from specific grievances against British policies and local strategic calculations. This stark division within groups like the Haudenosaunee Confederacy demonstrated the diverse political priorities existing across Native America during the war.

Post-War Consequences and Modern Commemorations

The conclusion of the Revolutionary War brought severe consequences for Indigenous sovereignty. According to Native-Americans.org, the 1783 Treaty of Paris formally ended hostilities between Great Britain and the United States without including representatives from the Native American tribes. Consequently, post-war treaties overwhelmingly favored American expansion, resulting in massive territorial losses and a profound erosion of tribal autonomy—particularly for nations that had sided with the British and faced punitive measures from the victorious American government.

Today, as cultural institutions and artists prepare for the nation’s semiquincentennial, contemporary creators are bringing these historical dynamics into public view. Onondaga Nation artist Brandon Lazore, working from his studio in Akwesasne, New York, is among the Indigenous artists re-examining America’s 250th anniversary through artwork that confronts this foundational history. Through modern artistic expression and historical education, Indigenous communities continue to highlight the sovereign nations that inhabited and governed the continent long before the founding of the United States.