450 Whose Revolution? The Delaware and the War for Independence

In December 1776, a Delaware Chief named White Eyes stood before the Second Continental Congress. He had not come to declare himself a revolutionary, nor had he come to pledge his loyalty to King George III. White Eyes came to test a promise. What does the American Revolution look like to people for whom independence was never a question? For the Delaware, also known as the Lenape, the War for Independence raised older and harder questions: Whose word could be trusted? What choices can we make about whether to fight, stay neutral, or flee that might let our community remain itself on the land we know? Jeremy Johnson, Cultural Education Director for the Delaware Tribe of Indians, traces Lenape and Delaware history from long before European contact through the American Revolution. He also introduces us to the September 1778 Treaty of Fort Pitt, the first treaty the United States made with a Native Nation and which promised a 14th Native state. Delaware Tribe of Indians’ Website (https://delawaretribe.org/) Show Notes: (https://benfranklinsworld.com/403) https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/450 EPISODE OUTLINE 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:35 The Lenape Experience of the American Revolution 00:07:56 Lenape History and Indigenous Origin Stories 00:10:52 Diplomacy in Lenape Traditions 00:15:32 Evolution of Lenape Diplomacy Through European Contact 00:20:00 The Walking Purchase of 1737 00:24:55 Lenape Experiences of the Seven Years' War 00:32:13 Lenape Participation in Pontiac's Rebellion 00:37:17 The Delaware and the American Revolution 00:46:32 Negotiating the Treaty of Fort Pitt 00:50:16 The Hope for Delaware Sovereignty 00:52:53 The Delaware People & America's 250th 01:00:02 Time Warp 01:02:41 Resources RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES 🎧 Episode 163: The American Revolution in North America (https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/163) 🎧 Episode 264: The Treaty of Canandaigua (https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/264) 🎧 Episode 286: Elections in Early America: Native Sovereignty (https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/286) 🎧 Episode 323: American Expansion and the Political Economy of Plunder (https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/323) 🎧 Episode 397: Native Nations: A Millennium in North America (https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/397) 🎧 Episode 449: Stealing America: Indigenous Enslavement & the American Revolution (https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/449) SUPPORT OUR WORK 🎁 Make a Donation to (https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/donate) Ben Franklin’s World (https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/donate) REQUEST A TOPIC 📨 Topic Request Form (https://bevel-gateway-5e2.notion.site...) 📫 liz@benfranklinsworld.com WHEN YOU'RE READY 🗞️ (https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/new...) BFW Gazette Newsletter (https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/new...) 👩‍💻 Join the BFW Listener Community (  / benfranklinsworld  ) 🌍 Join the History Explorers Club (https://www.historyexplorers.club/) TAKE THE QUIZ 🧭 Discover How You Explore History (under 2 minutes) 👉 https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/quiz (https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/qui...) LISTEN 🎧 🍎 Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...) 💚 Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/2oghPc2...) 🎶 Amazon Music (https://www.audible.com/podcast/Ben-F...) 🛜 Pandora (https://www.pandora.com/podcast/ben-f...) CONNECT 🦋 Liz on Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/lizcovart.bs...) 👩‍💻 Liz on LinkedIn (  / lizcovart  ) 🛜 Liz’s Website (https://www.lizcovart.com/) SAY THANKS 💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...) 💚 Leave a rating on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/2oghPc2...) *Book links are affiliate links. Every purchase supports the podcast.