Illinois (American Indian tribe)
The Illinois are a historically significant American Indian tribe originally inhabiting an area that corresponds to modern-day Illinois and parts of Michigan. They were one of the largest Indigenous groups in the region, with a population estimated at thirteen thousand in the 1650s, and were divided into at least six subgroups, including the Cahokia, Kaskaskia, and Peoria. Their traditional economy revolved around a seasonal cycle of agriculture, hunting, and gathering, but their way of life was dramatically altered following European contact in the 1670s, when they became allies with the French and engaged in the fur trade.
The Illinois faced significant challenges due to warfare, disease, and the pressures of colonization, leading to a drastic population decline by the early 1800s. By 1832, they ceded most of their lands to the United States, eventually relocating to a reservation in what is now Oklahoma. Despite a significant population decline that saw them nearly vanish, the Illinois were recognized again as an Indigenous nation in 1978. Today, the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma continues to maintain its cultural heritage and governance from its headquarters in Miami, Oklahoma, reflecting a resilient commitment to preserving their history and community.
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Illinois (American Indian tribe)
- CATEGORY: Tribe
- CULTURE AREA: Northeast
- LANGUAGE GROUP: Algonquian
- PRIMARY LOCATION: Oklahoma
- POPULATION SIZE: Between 2,000 and 3,000 (Oklahoma History Center)
When they first encountered Europeans in the 1670s, the Illinois Indigenous Americans occupied an area roughly equivalent to the present state of Illinois, though there is evidence that they had previously lived in present-day Michigan. They were among the largest Indigenous groups in the region, with an estimated population of thirteen thousand in the 1650s. The size of the group may explain its division into at least six subgroups: the Cahokia, Kaskaskia, Michigamea, Moingwena, Peoria, and Tamaroa. Though each of the subgroups had its own chief, all spoke the same language and acknowledged a single chief for the whole Indigenous group.
The traditional economy of the Illinois followed a yearly cycle of agriculture, hunting, and gathering. Crops were planted around summer villages; then, whole villages would embark on hunting expeditions before returning for the harvest. In winter, smaller groups would scatter to winter villages, where hunting continued on a reduced scale.
The Illinois were often involved in warfare with other Indigenous groups, a pattern that continued after European contact. Several major wars were fought with the Iroquois in the seventeenth century, at times causing the Illinois to move west of the Mississippi River. The Sioux were also frequent enemies.
The decisive event in the Illinois’s history came in 1673 when they established contact with the French. They subsequently became an independent ally of the French and were heavily involved in the fur trade. In the process, they became increasingly dependent on the French and experienced disruption of their traditional way of life. The Illinois were involved in almost constant warfare with pro-British and pro-Spanish Indigenous groups, while disease, especially smallpox and malaria, periodically ravaged the Illinois. French success in converting the Illinois to Christianity curtailed what had been a widespread practice of polygamy, with a depressing effect on the Illinois' birthrate. By 1700, the number of Illinois had fallen to six thousand.
In the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, the Illinois experienced significant fragmentation, as subgroups often became divided in attitudes toward European powers or other Indigenous peoples. The attempt to cultivate good relations with the new United States continued to expose the Illinois to attacks from pro-British Indigenous Americans. All of these factors further weakened the Illinois, and by 1800, their population had fallen to an estimated 500. By this time, they had ceased to be a significant force in the region.
In 1832, the Illinois signed a treaty with the United States in which they gave up all their lands in Illinois except a small area around Kaskaskia (which was shortly abandoned). After several stops west of the Mississippi, the Illinois were assigned a reservation in the Indian Territory in 1867 in what is now northeastern Oklahoma. There, the remaining members came to be known as the Peoria and frequently intermarried with other groups, especially the Sauk, Fox, and Kickapoo. Member numbers continued to decline before bottoming out in 1910, when only 130 Peoria members were counted. The Illinois was terminated as an Indigenous nation by Congress in 1959 but was subsequently restored in 1978. In the mid-2020s, the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma was headquartered in Miami, Oklahoma, where it maintained an Indigenous government, provided services to its community, and concentrated on preserving its history and culture.
Bibliography
"History." Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, peoriatribe.com/history. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.
Koenig, Pamela. "Illinois - The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture." Oklahoma Historical Society, 15 Jan. 2010, www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=IL001. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.
Lee, Jennifer. The Illinois Confederacy of Illinois, Missouri, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Oklahoma. Rosen, 2005.
"Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma." Oklahoma State Department of Education, July 2014, sde.ok.gov/sites/ok.gov.sde/files/documents/files/Tribes‗of‗OK‗Education%20Guide‗Peoria‗Tribe.pdf. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.
“Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma.” Southern Plains Tribal Health Board, spthb.org/about-us/who-we-serve/peoria-tribe-of-indians-of-oklahoma. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.
Roberson, Glen. “Peoria - The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture.” Oklahoma Historical Society, 22 May 2020, www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=PE013. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.