Pontiac
Pontiac was a car brand owned, made, and sold by General Motors. Introduced as a companion make for GM's more expensive line of Oakland automobiles, Pontiac overtook Oakland in popularity and supplanted its parent brand entirely by 1933.
Odawa
The Odawa, said to mean "traders", are an Indigenous American ethnic group who primarily inhabit land in the northern United States and southern Canada. They have long had territory that crosses the current border between the two countries, and they are federally recognized as N…
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes, also called the Laurentian Great Lakes and the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of interconnected freshwater lakes primarily in the upper mid-east region of North America, on the Canada–United States border, which connect to the Atlantic Ocean through the Saint Lawrenc…
See more
Why was Chief Pontiac a significant individual in history?
Chief Pontiac led his people into battles with the British who were fighting the French to control Canada and Northeastern and Mideastern America. Although the battles were lost, Chief Pontiac's courage became legendary.
Why is Pontiac important?
Pontiac was a leader of the Odawa tribe located in the area of modern-day Ontario, Canada, and the Great Lakes region. He led a rebellion against the British colonists after they expanded their military presence in the Great Lakes area during and after the French and Indian War.
What was the role of Chief Pontiac in the conflict in North America?
In 1762, Pontiac enlisted support from practically every tribe from Lake Superior to the lower Mississippi for a joint campaign to expel the British from the formerly French-occupied lands. According to Pontiac's plan, each tribe would seize the nearest fort and then join forces to wipe out the undefended settlements.
What did Chief Pontiac believe?
Pontiac subscribed to the religious beliefs of Neolin, a prophet among the Lenape during the 1760s. Neolin encouraged his fellow American Indians in the Ohio Country and parts west to forsake all British goods and customs. He felt that American Indians' dependence on these items had infuriated their gods.
Was Pontiac a hero or a villain?
Pontiac was a hero for Native Americans. His rebellion united different native american tribes to stand against the British who were moving onto their land and disrespecting their ways of life.
What does the name Pontiac mean?
Why is it Called Pontiac? The name Pontiac comes from both the city where the car was originally produced and the Ottawa chief who is perhaps best known for his namesake battle, Pontiac's War. In 1763, Pontiac led a 300-man army against British soldiers who were stationed in Fort Detroit.
What was one goal of Pontiac's rebellion?
To prevent the incursion of colonial settlers, Pontiac encouraged Ohio Country tribes to unite and to rise up against the British. Many view the Ottawa attack on Fort Detroit in May 1763, as the beginning of the so-called Pontiac's Rebellion.
Why was Pontiac arguing war?
In a famous council on April 27, 1763, Pontiac urged listeners rise up against the British. Pontiac's Rebellion was a war launched in 1763 by North American Indians who were dissatisfied with British rule in the Great Lakes region after the British victory in the French and Indian War/ Seven Years' War (1754–1763).
Was Pontiac's rebellion successful?
Pontiac's Rebellion was initially successful and the Indian forces captured most of the British forts they targeted. However, they were never able to capture Fort Pitt or Fort Detroit, and the rebellion against British rule gradually collapsed by the end of 1764.
What did Pontiac aim to accomplish by giving his speech?
Pontiac gave his “Speech at Detroit” in 1763 to the Ottawa, Potawatomi, and the Huron Indians. He gave this speech to unite these tribes against the white men that have taken their land and killed their men.
Where does Pontiac name come from?
It was named after the famous Ottawa chief, who had also given his name to the city of Pontiac, Michigan, where the car was produced. Within months of its introduction, Pontiac was outselling Oakland, which was essentially a 1920s Chevrolet with a six-cylinder engine.
How long did Pontiac's war last?
Native American history conflict that became known as Pontiac's War (1763–64), the native coalition captured several English forts near the Great Lakes.
What killed Pontiac?
There were two primary reasons for GM's decision to dispense with the brand. Pontiac has been unprofitable during the last few years of its existence. This put Pontiac in a fatal position given that GM was experiencing severe financial problems ahead of its bankruptcy in 2009.
Is Pontiac coming back in 2021?
The upcoming Pontiac is expected to hit the general public by the end of 2021. Granted folks at Trans Am Depot get everything sorted including compliance with US regulations. Also, with an expected price of around $115,000, the 2021 Trans Am won't be cheap.
Is Pontiac a good car?
Pontiac owners have touted the cars' reliability and they have an average rating of 4.4/5 on Edmunds.com. Pontiac is no longer a household name when it comes to the best cars on the market. The brand was mostly known for the wide range of sedans and sports cars that it offered in its last years.
Will GM ever bring back Pontiac?
Will GM bring back Pontiac? No, it won't. Winding out of Pontiac franchises cost GM billions of dollars.
Who is Chief Pontiac?
Facts, information and articles about Chief Pontiac, a Native American Indian Chief from the Wild West.
Why did the Indians end the Battle of Pontiac?
The conflict ended due to the Indians having to resume hunting, and in the meantime, the British had to send reinforcements across seas. Despite numerous attempts to renew the battle, Pontiac was unable to garner enough support. In 1766, he accepted British occupation of the territory, but tensions remained.
What happened to Pontiac in 1769?
However, in 1769, after a trade, a Peoria Indian clubbed Pontiac in the head, killing him. Some believed that his death was set up by the British, while others believed it was a personal dispute.
Was Pontiac an ally of the French?
He was quite successful in protecting his land and his people from enemies. During the final French-Indian War, Pontiac was an ally of the French. However, the French lost the war, losing their property and holdings to the British. Unlike the agreements Pontiac and the tribe had with the French, the British did not trade supplies and goods with ...
Who was Pontiac's influence?
During this time, he also came under the influence of Neolin, a member of the Delaware tribe who was viewed as a prophet.
Where was Chief Pontiac born?
Chief Pontiac. The Odawa (Ottawa) chief called Pontiac was known in his village as Obwandiyag. He was likely born about 1720 somewhere along the Detroit River. One of his parents was Odawa and he was raised in that tradition. Descriptions of Pontiac as an adult are contradictory.
What was Pontiac's message?
Pontiac adopted only part of the message, turning this message into an anti-English campaign that kept the European technology. By 1763 Pontiac was an influential leader in the Detroit area. That year he led a surprise uprising against the British at Detroit, which failed when the British learned of the attack.
Did the Pontiac's War succeed?
While his attack on Detroit failed, many of the other attacks made on other regional outposts by members of the loosely organized confederation, did succeed - 8 out of 12 resulted in victory for the Native Americans and their allies. These attacks are known as Pontiac’s War.
Why was Pontiac important?
1714/20 – April 20, 1769) was an Odawa war chief known for his role in the war named for him, from 1763 to 1766 leading Native Americans in an armed struggle against the British in the Great Lakes region due to, among other reasons, dissatisfaction with British policies. It followed the British victory in the French and Indian War, the American front of the Seven Years' War. Pontiac's importance in the war that bears his name has been debated. Nineteenth-century accounts portrayed him as the mastermind and leader of the revolt, but some subsequent scholars argued that his role had been exaggerated. Historians today generally view him as an important local leader who influenced a wider movement that he did not command.
What did Pontiac do to help the British?
Pontiac continued to encourage militant resistance to British occupation among the Illinois and Wabash tribes, and to recruit French colonists as allies. According to historian Richard White, it was during this time that Pontiac exerted his greatest influence, developing from a local war leader into an important regional spokesman. After the failure of the siege of Fort Detroit, the British initially thought that Pontiac was defeated and would trouble them no longer, but his influence continued to grow. The British had successfully pacified the uprising in the Ohio Country, but British military dominance was tenuous. They decided to negotiate with the Ottawa leader. The British further increased his stature by making Pontiac the focus of their diplomacy and not understanding the decentralized Indian approach to war. Pontiac met with Sir William Johnson, the British Superintendent of Indian Affairs, on July 25, 1766 at Fort Ontario in Oswego, New York, and formally ended hostilities when he signed a peace treaty stopping the rebellions.
Where was Pontiac born?
Other sources state that he may have been born in Defiance, Ohio. A park at the confluence of the Maumee and Auglaise rivers in Defiance is named Pontiac Park and identified as his birthplace.
What battle did Pontiac win?
In July 1763, Pontiac defeated a British detachment at the Battle of Bloody Run, but he was unable to capture the fort. In October, he lifted the siege and withdrew to the Illinois Country.
What did the attention paid to Pontiac by the British Crown encourage him to assert?
The attention paid to Pontiac by the British Crown encouraged him to assert more power among the Indians of the region than he possessed by traditional rights. "By 1766 he was acting arrogantly and imperiously," wrote historian Richard White, "assuming powers no western Indian leader possessed.".
Why did Pontiac's plan to take Fort Detroit fail?
His plan was foiled because Major Henry Gladwin, the fort's commander, had been warned by an informer and had prepared his defense.
Why did Pontiac's influence decline around Detroit?
Pontiac's influence declined around Detroit because of the siege but he gained stature as he continued to encourage the various tribal leaders to fight against the British. Seeking to end the war, British officials made him the focus of their diplomatic efforts. In July 1766, he made peace with British Superintendent of Indian Affairs Sir William Johnson. The British attention to Pontiac aroused resentment among other tribal leaders, as the war effort was decentralized. Pontiac claimed greater authority than he possessed. He was increasingly ostracized and in 1769 he was assassinated by a Peoria warrior.
What was the first source of information about Chief Pontiac?
The first reliable source of information about Chief Pontiac was his planned resistance against the British in 1763 at Fort Detroit. Pontiac was allies with the French and in April of that year, he got together with other Indian leaders to call for attacks on British forts. These attacks would later be known as Pontiac’s Rebellion.
Why was Pontiac killed?
On April 20, 1769, he was murdered in the Cahokia village by another Indian perhaps due to his earlier squirmishes with local rivals. The city of Pontiac, Michigan was named after Chief Pontiac.
Who was the chief of the Ottawa tribe?
Have you ever heard of Chief Pontiac ? He was a famous Indian chief of the Ottawa tribe. His homeland was in the Great Lakes region and he led a great rebellion against the British troops. He is also well remembered for participating in what was called Pontiac’s Rebellion.
Did Pontiac and the Ottawas win a battle against the British?
While Pontiac and the Ottawas did win a battle against the British, they were never able take Fort Detroit. The British, eager to put an end to the rebellion, negotiated with Chief Pontiac for peace. In 1766, Chief Pontiac and Sir William Johnson, the British Superintendent of Indian Affairs, agreed to end the fighting.
French and Indian War
Pontiac first rose to prominence, when as an Ottawa War Chief he joined the French fight against a resistance movement of different Indian Tribes led by the Huron leader Nicholas Orontony in 1747. His close alliance with New France continued up to and throughout the 7 Years Wars also known as the French and Indian War from 1754 to 1763.
Chief Pontiac Rebellion
However, as word spread of the attack, the revolt took on a life all off its own and, soon other Tribes joined in the rebellion all along the Great Lakes Territory. Pontiac’s attack on Fort Detroit turned into more of a siege as he and his warriors were unable to penetrate the Fort and defeat its defenders.
What was the name of the town that Pontiac captured?
Pontiac’s Rebellion began with a surprise attempt to capture the (relatively) heavily garrisoned Fort Detroit in early May 1763. Chief Pontiac of the Ottawa nation was the leader of the assault, though other nearby tribes joined him.
What was Pontiac’s Rebellion of 1763?
Pontiac’s Rebellion of 1763 was an uprising of dozens of midwestern Native American nations in the aftermath of the French and Indian War.
Why was the Proclamation of 1763 important?
A map of the Proclamation of 1763 dividing lines. The Proclamation of 1763 was a big reason for the conclusion of Pontiac’s Rebellion.
When did Pontiac sign the peace treaty?
Several other treaties would be signed later that year and in 1765, though Pontiac himself would not sign a peace treaty officially ending Pontiac’s Rebellion until 1766.
Why were the wealthy furious with the British?
The wealthy classes were also furious with the British as the Proclamation disrupted the massive amounts of land speculation occurring in the territory now part of the Indian Reserve.
Why couldn't Britain afford a never ending war with Native Americans in the midwest?
Britain could not afford a never-ending war with Native Americans in the midwest because of greedly, land-hungry colonists.
Did the British attack Pontiac's fort?
Unfortunately the surprise attack failed as the British were tipped off and prepared to meet Pontiac’s forces. Nevertheless, Pontaic’s warriors outnumbered the British soldiers and surrounded the fort in a siege.
Why did Pontiac and his warriors gain access to the British fort at Detroit?
It was decided that Pontiac and his warriors would gain access to the British fort at Detroit under the pretense of negotiating a peace treaty, giving them an opportunity to seize forcibly the arsenal there.
What happened to Pontiac in 1766?
Failing to persuade tribes in the West to join his rebellion, and lacking the hoped-for support from the French, Pontiac finally signed a treaty with the British in 1766 . In 1769, he was murdered by a Peoria tribesman while visiting Illinois.
What fort did the Indians use to hold out against the Indians?
Nevertheless, they had succeeded in providing the fort at Detroit with reinforcements and supplies, which allowed it to hold out against the Indians into the fall. The major forts at Pitt and Niagara likewise held on, but the united tribes captured eight other fortified posts.
What were the names of the tribes that attacked Pontiac's camp?
At the same time, his allies in Pennsylvania began a siege of Fort Pitt, while other sympathetic tribes, such as the Delaware, the Shawnees, and the Seneca, prepared to move against various British forts and outposts in Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. On July 31, a British relief expedition attacked Pontiac’s camp ...
What was the name of the French stronghold that Ho Chi Minh defeated?
In northwest Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh’s Viet Minh forces decisively defeat the French at Dien Bien Phu, a French stronghold besieged by the Vietnamese communists for 57 days. The Viet Minh victory at Dien Bien Phu signaled the end of French colonial influence in Indochina and cleared ...read more
Overview
Pontiac or Obwaandi'eyaag (c. 1714/20 – April 20, 1769) was an Odawa war chief known for his role in the war named for him, from 1763 to 1766 leading Native Americans in an armed struggle against the British in the Great Lakes region due to, among other reasons, dissatisfaction with British policies. It followed the British victory in the French and Indian War, the American front of …
Early years
Contemporaneous documents reveal little about Pontiac before 1763. He was probably born between 1712 and 1725, perhaps at an Ottawa village on the Detroit or Maumee River. Other sources state that he may have been born in Defiance, Ohio. A park at the confluence of the Maumee and Auglaise rivers in Defiance is named Pontiac Park and identified as his birthplace.
Historians are uncertain about the tribal affiliation of his parents. According to an 18th-century …
Pontiac's War
The French and Indian War, the North American theater of the Seven Years' War, effectively ended in 1760 with the British conquest of Quebec, which marked the defeat of New France. Indian allies of the defeated French soon became dissatisfied with the trading practices of the victorious British. In addition, although by treaty the British said they would not build any forts in Ohio Countr…
Final years
Pontiac's final years are sparsely documented. He was summoned to Detroit in August 1767 to testify in the investigation of the murder of Elizabeth "Betty" Fisher, a seven-year-old English colonist. In 1763 during the siege of Detroit, an Ottawa war party had attacked the Fisher farm, killing Betty's parents and taking the girl captive. The following year, while Betty was still captive at Pontiac's village, she tried to warm herself at Pontiac's fire. The girl was sick with dysentery, and …
Legacy and honors
Historians have differed in their assessments of Pontiac's importance. Older accounts of the war portrayed him as a ruthless but brilliant mastermind behind a massive "conspiracy" which was planned in advance. Historians today generally agree that Pontiac's actions at Detroit were the spark that instigated the widespread uprising, and that he helped to spread the resistance by sending emissaries urging other leaders to join it, but he did not command the various tribal war …
Notes
1. ^ Dowd 2002, p. 6.
2. ^ Chevrette says that Pontiac's birth was "sometime between 1712 and 1725"; Sugden says that Pontiac was "probably" born "about 1714" along the Detroit River ("Pontiac", 659); White ("Pontiac", 496), and Peckham (Indian Uprising, 18) gives an estimate of around 1720.