The cultural landscape of the western frontier, 1800-1825 (Symposium)

The first quarter of the nineteenth century is marked by significant changes in the cultural landscape of what was then the western frontier of the United States. This time period is noteworthy for the American military’s occupation and expansion up the Mississippi Valley that not only saw the abandonment of this area by British troops after the conclusion of the War of 1812, but also resulted in the forced removal or assimilation of Native groups. These circumstances eventually opened the territory for American colonialism and permanent settlement. This session presents the results of recent archaeological investigations and research into selected Native villages and American military sites within the Mississippi Valley region of the western frontier, focusing specifically on the area between Quincy, Illinois and Clinton, Iowa.