A RIVER OF CONTINUITY, TRIBUTARIES OF CHANGE: THE CHICKASAWS AND THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, 1735-1795

Abstract

This project examines the relationships between the Chickasaw Indians and the Mississippi River between 1735 and 1795. Chickasaws imagined, managed, and manipulated the river in a number of ways. For them, the Mississippi was a metaphysical and physical boundary as well as a conduit. Its presence marked both time and place in their history. As the water flowed past Chickasaw Country it differentiated historical eras and demarcated the western bounds of their territory. More generally, waterways constituted a central place in the worldviews of Southeastern Native Americans. This influenced how they related to the riverine landscape and other peoples within that space. Environmental factors also determined when, where, and how Chickasaws interacted with the Mississippi River. Seasonal variation and weather conditions affected water levels, which in turn, altered resource availability and travel patterns. These became particularly important factors in the eighteenth century when colonial competition brought new people, products, and would-be empires to the Mississippi Valley. Those who built social, political, and economic relationships with the Chickasaws travelled the river unencumbered. However, Chickasaw warriors limited the mobility of their enemies, particularly at the Chickasaw Bluffs where topography and geography favored them. The Chickasaw Nation held a powerful place along the Mississippi River and used that position to its advantage. This made them valuable allies or influential adversaries for France, Britain, Spain, and the United States. Beginning to understand the connections between Chickasaw history, the riverine environment, and geopolitics gives new insight to the world in which eighteenth century Chickasaws lived.