This lecture, created by the Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project, traces the history of Native American tribes in Illinois, from the early days of Western North American exploration into the mid-1800s.

Scholar James Lewis outlines the Black Hawk War of 1832, including its beginnings in a chance meeting with militia forces and its lack of major battles.

To view this clip, select "Overview of the Black Hawk War" under "Native American Relations Video."

Scholar James Lewis outlines Andrew Jackson's views of Native Americans and his discounting of Native American power and the validity of treaties signed with Native American tribes.

To view this clip, select "Andrew Jackson and Federal Indian Policy" under "Native American Relations Video."

Scholar James Lewis contrasts the early French fur traders' cooperation and cultural exchange with Illinois's Native Americans with the exclusionary policies of U.S. settlers following the American Revolution.

To view this clip, select "Native Americans and the French Empire in the Illinois Country" under "Native American Relations Video."

John Mack Faragher of Yale University discusses the range of relationships between Native Americans (particularly the Kickapoo) and settlers in antebellum Illinois. He looks at the development from relatively benign relations, involving the trading of goods and ideas, to the rise of racism and violence following the War of 1812 and the Black Hawk War.

To view this clip, select "Settlers and Native Americans Before the Black Hawk War" under "Native American Relations Video."

Edward L. Ayers of the University of Virginia looks at the early antebellum support of African colonization as an answer to U.S. racial tensions, and considers it as a possible root of the later abolitionist movement.

To listen to this lecture, select "The Movement of African-American Colonization" under "African-American Experience Video."

Eric Foner of Columbia University looks at antebellum consideration of African colonization as a means to deal with race tensions, focusing on the opposition of most free African Americans to the proposition.

Produced by Jeffrey Chown of the Northern Illinois University Department of Communication, this documentary chronicles the Black Hawk War of 1832, looking also at the events that led up to it and its repercussions. It focuses on the roles of Sauk war chief Black Hawk and a young Abraham Lincoln. The documentary is divided into 18 short downloadable videos.

To view this documentary, scroll to the set of 18 links separated from the main Abraham Lincoln's Biography Video selections, and choose a section to view.

Eric Foner of Columbia University discusses Abraham Lincoln's preference, pre-Civil War, for the establishment of African colonies as a solution to race tensions in the U.S.; and looks at his movement away from this solution during the Civil War.

To view this clip, select "Abraham Lincoln and the Problem of Race and Slavery" under "Abraham Lincoln's Biography Video."

James O. Horton of George Washington University discusses Abraham Lincoln's consideration of establishing African colonies as a solution to race tensions in the U.S. and African-American reactions to suggestions of the establishment of such colonies.

To listen to this clip, select "Abraham Lincoln and the African-American Colonization Movement" under "Abraham Lincoln's Biography Video."