Chronology of American Indian History

by the treaty will last for more than 30 years (see
entry for MAY 1744).

1715

April 15

The Yamasee attack English settlements.
At dawn the Yamasee attack English settlements
near Savannah and kill more than a hundred
traders and settlers. They are enraged by their
treatment by the English, particularly traders. As
white settlers have taken over the Yamasee’s hunt-
ing grounds in preset-day South Carolina, many
hunters have found themselves unable to pay debts
owed to English traders. In lieu of payment, many
traders have taken Yamasee women and children
captive and sold them into the slavery.
Soon the Yamasee are joined by their Indian
allies, including Creek warriors, who perhaps
have been encouraged to fight against the English
by rival French traders. Alarmed by the growing
threat, the English send out a militia to initiate
a full-scale war against the Yamasee (see entry for
1717).

1717

The Cherokee join the Yamasee War on the
side of the British.
The English coax the powerful Cherokee tribe
into helping them fight against the Yamasee
and their Creek allies (see entry for APRIL 15,
1715). The Cherokee are willing to join the
conflict largely because they want to battle their
traditional Creek enemies. By November, the
combined English-Cherokee force has so over-
whelmed the Creek that they agree to sign a peace
treaty. The Yamasee are so reduced in numbers as
to be nearly extinct as a tribe. The survivors re-
treat to Spanish Florida, where they continue to
stage small raids on Carolina settlements for more
than a decade.

1720

The French and Choctaw begin waging war

against the Chickasaw.

Attracted by low prices, the Chickasaw develop a

trade relationship with the English. To protect their

control of the Mississippi Valley, the French, aided by

their Choctaw allies, try to discourage the Chickasaw

from becoming English allies by attacking their lands.

The Chickasaw take revenge by raiding Choctaw vil-

lages and blocking the movement of French trade

ships. The raids quickly prove costly to French trad-

ers, who try to end the Chickasaw attacks by offering

the Choctaw guns and ammunition for their enemies’

scalps. The bloody war continues until four years later

the exhausted Chickasaw are ready to sue for peace

with the French.

August 13

Pawnee and Kaw (Kansas) warriors drive

the Spanish from the southern Plains.

Led by Pedro de Villasur, an army of 42 Spanish

soldiers and 70 Pueblo warriors travel to the south-

ern Plains to prevent the French from establishing

trade inroads with the tribes there. They are met by

a force of Pawnee and Kaw (Kansas) Indians who,

using guns supplied by the French, kill 45 of the

invaders and drive the survivors back to the Spanish

capital of Santa Fe.

1721

Spain abolishes the encomienda system.

Instituted in the Americas more than 200 years

earlier, the encomienda system (see entry for 1512)

is formally ended by Spain. The system gave con-

quistadores land grants in the Spanish colonies as

rewards for service. Indians on the encomienda were

forced into brutal servitude by their Spanish owners.

Fearing that the encomienda owners were becoming

too independent of the Crown, Spain had been try-

ing to end the system since the mid-16th century

(see entry for 1542).