Marks in Time:
Delaware Treaty History



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Welcome to a unique, on-line resource for Delaware treaty history. The Delaware, or Lenape, tribe of Indians, signed the first-ever "Indian treaty" with the newly-born United States of America in 1778. To date, the Lenape people, now located in Oklahoma and Canada, have suffered betrayals, massacres, and at least seven "Trails of Tears," all marked by multiple treaties and multiple relocations.Originally located in the river valleys and woodland mountains of Delaware, NY, New Jersey, and some areas of Pennsylvania, the Delaware peoples have achieved an extraordinary record of negotiations with both the United States and Canadian governments. They also have achieved an extraordinary record of physical and cultural survival. I am proud to be sharing in this era's resurgence and preservation of Lenape culture, language, and lifeways through the Delaware Tribe of Indians in Bartlesville, OK.

The Treaties



"In 1778, when the newly-declared United States was only a spit in King George's eye, the United States signed what would become its first Indian Treaty..."

America's first Indian treaty, the Delaware Treaty of 1778


the succeeding treaties include:

Treaty of 1785 (Wyandotte)
Treaty of 1803
Treaty of 1804
Treaty of 1809
Treaty of 1818
Treaty of 1829
Treaty of 1854
Treaty of 1860
The Lenapes: A study of Hudson Valley Indians
When you're through here, check out this good historical reference




Footnotes


Please note that I am primarily using "Delaware" in these treaty and history pages, rather than Lenape, the ancient name in Lenape tongue. I have chosen to do so for a very practical reason: the tribe's official name is the Delaware Tribe of Indians, and the other two Delaware groups (Western Oklahoma and Canda)also use the name Delaware. Hence, it made a great deal of sense to do the same.



Go to Table of Contents
Lenape Lore
the index page
Journal of Indian Justice

Quick Links: A Potluck Stew of Good Sites
(don't miss this one page, loaded with outstanding info & links!)


Last update: Mar 18 2000