Discuss how st. clair’s defeat was a pivotal event for both indians and white americans.

saint clair’s defeat, (november 4, 1791), one of the worst defeats ever suffered by u.s. forces in indian warfare, precipitated by british-indian confrontation with settlers and militia in the northwest territory following the american revolution. despite specific provisions in the treaty of 1783 for the evacuation of its forts on the northwestern border, britain had failed to yield these lucrative fur-trading posts. in hopes of reclaiming lost hunting grounds with british support, a northwest indian confederation was gradually molded between 1785 and 1787, consisting mainly of shawnee, delaware, ottawa, iroquois, ojibwa, miami, and potawatomi. kentucky frontiersmen reacted to this threat by initiating raiding parties on native villages as early as 1788, and indian warfare flared up the following year.

booker t. washington was an educator who established the tuskegee institute. washington argued that african americans should learn trades that would offer them the opportunity to be progressive citizens. instead of fighting against discrimination, washington argued that african americans should use their education and knowledge to become self-sufficient in american society and not in competition with white americans.

w.e.b du bois was the founder of the niagara movement and later the naacp, du bois disagreed with washington. he argued that african americans should consistently fight for racial equality.

ida b. wells was a journalist who wrote about the horrors of lynching in the south. wells work could be considered muckraking as it led to the development of the anti-lynching campaign.