Dumb question department. How do you pronounce "Poweshiek"?
Pow-a-sheek. He was a chief of the Fox.
Iowa is an American Indian battleground of sorts. Up north were the Sioux, or Lakota or Dakota. They were aggressive and very populous. Down South were Fox, Pottawattamies, the Chippeways, Sacs, Ottawas, Ho-Chunk, Sauk, Sac and others.
The Sauk were lied to, bullied and pushed into Illinois (and eventually into Iowa). Their great Chief Black Hawk attacked the United States. In fact Black Hawk was given a commission in the British Army in the War of 1812. He was a Brevet Brig General. A battle was fought in the Mississippi on Credit Island. Also a battle at Rock Island. Massacres here and there. I want to say William Henry Harrison was US Army commanding.
I am a little rusty, but after the War of 1812, the Sioux Nation declared wars on the southern Indians - The Fox Allies (Sauk). A line of forts was built by the US to keep some piece.
You see American Indian Names in Iowa like Black Hawk, Keokuk, Poweshiek, and US Forts like Ft Madison, Ft Atkinson, Ft Dodge, etc.
LaCrosse WI was a place by the Mississippi where Indians played Lacrosse for days on fields that went on for miles.
Black Hawk died in Des Moines Co. His body was either stolen or never recovered or burned.
