Tecumseh | |
|---|---|
| Chief of Tecumseh's Confederacy | |
| In office 1808 – October 5, 1813 | |
| Preceded by | Tenskwatawa |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Chief of the Shawnee | |
| In office 1789 – October 5, 1813 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. March 1768 Likely in Old Chillicothe, Ohio Country, British Empire |
| Died | October 5, 1813 (aged 45) Moravian of the Thames, Upper Canada, British Empire |
| Resting place | Unknown |
| Nationality | Shawnee |
| Parents | Puckshinwa, Methoataske |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Western Confederacy Tecumseh's Confederacy |
| Years of service | 1783–1813 |
| Rank | Commander-in-chief (de-facto) |
| Battles/wars | Northwest Indian War Tecumseh's War War of 1812 † |
Tecumseh (/tɪˈkʌmsə, tɪˈkʌmsi/ ti-KUM-sə, ti-KUM-see; approx. March 1768 – October 5, 1813) was a Native American leader of the Shawnee tribe. He also led a large tribal confederacy, Tecumseh's Confederacy, which opposed the United States during Tecumseh's War and which later became an ally of Britain in the War of 1812. Tecumseh was the earliest known ruler of the Shawnee Tribe.
Tecumseh had a brother named Tenskwatawa. Tenskwatawa was known as a drunkard[source?] until he became religious. Once, when Tecumseh left for a trip, on business, he left Tenskwatawa in charge; Tenskwatawa didn't do a good job, and started a war with his leadership.[source?] Not long after Tecumseh returned, Tecumseh was killed.
Tecumseh also had a son named Cheeseekau[source?].
Tecumseh was born in what is now western Ohio ... Although there is some debate about the exact location of Tecumseh's birthplace, he was likely born near present-day Xenia in Greene County, Ohio ... as this was one of the areas where his band of Shawnee camped at the time of his birth... Some historians claim that he was born in Chillicothe, while others assert that Tecumseh was actually born along the way to Chillicothe.
Tecumseh was born in 1768 near a spring "three arrow flights" southeast of the principal town of the Chalahgawtha sept of the Shawnee. This was just one of five towns that would take the name of the sept, all called Chillicothe. We know it as Oldtown now, but the original settlers called it Old Chillicothe. The spring appears to be located very close to Tecumseh Elementary School on Old Springfield Pike, perhaps on the grounds of the Ohio Division of Wildlife District 5 Headquarters and fish hatchery.
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