Crazy Bear (1785-1856) was an Indian chief of the Assiniboine tribes (stone Sioux), a Native American people originally from the Northern Great Plains, their territory comprising Montana, North Dakota, Alberta and Saskatchewan. He is known as a skilled negotiator with the American Fur Company at Fort Union, North Dakota, and for his participation at the Fort Laramie Treaty Council of 1851. He earned the name Mah-To-Wit-Ko (meaning "Crazy Bear") because he fought like a crazy bear.
By
1851, the traffic of settlers traveling west had increased steadily
resulting in the escalation of violent confrontation with the native
peoples. In addition, the continued inter-tribal warfare affected the
profits of the fur companies. The US government devised a plan to bring a
cessation of hostilities. They prepared a treaty, and distributed a
circular summoning the leaders of all regional tribes to Fort Laramie
(Wyoming) to a treaty council and signing ceremony.
The
tribes invited were the Sioux, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Crow, Assiniboine, Mandan, Gros Ventre, Arikaree, Shoshone, and others. Many of these
nations were natural enemies; who had been fighting inter-tribal battles
for centuries. Fort Laramie was in Sioux territory, so the reluctance
of many participants to travel to this location was evident. But after
the Crazy Bear had determined to go, several others joined the
expedition.
The
officials who had expected only the leadership of the various tribes to
arrive were astounded as the total number of attendees reached an
estimated twelve thousand. As a result, they moved the treaty signing
thirty five miles southeast to Henry, in today's Nebraska. The Chief's
signed and for the most part kept their word. The U.S. government did
not. After signing the treaty, he returned to Fort Union.
About the stamps
The first stamp is part of the series Apples, about which I wrote here. About the second stamp, depicting the surrender of General John Burgoyne at The Battle of Saratoga, I wrote here.
References
Crazy Bear (Assiniboine chief) - Wikipedia
Sender: Denise
Sent from Greenvale (New York / United States), on 26.01.2016
Photo: Frank A. Rinehart / 1900
The photo depicted is not of Crazy Bear who died in 1856 and was Assiniboine. The photo may be of a Sioux man named Crazy Bear.
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