Show CONQUEST OF THE NORTHWEST it war acquired from the by force of arms anns in 1776 when independence was de the united states included only the thirteen original naf states on the seaboard with the exception of a few hunters there were no white men west of the Allee Alleg hany bany mountains and there was not even an american hunter in the great country out of which we have since made the states ot or illinois indiana ohio michigan and wisconsin all this region north of 0 the ohio river then formed a part of the province of 0 quebec it was a wilderness of forests and prairies teeming with game and inhabited by many warlike tribes of indians here and there through it were dotted quaint little towns of french creoles cheoles Cr eoles the mott most important being detroit VIncen neson the wabash and kaskaskia and on the illinois these french villages were ruled by british officers commanding small bodies of regular soldiers or tory rangers and nd creole partisans the towns were completely in the power of the british government none of the american states had actual possession of a foot of property in the northwestern territory the northwest was acquired at the time of the revolution only by armed conquest and if 1 it had not been so acquired it would have remained a pan pait of at the british dominion of canada the man to w hom this conquest was due was a famous backwoods leader a mighty hunter a noted indian lighter fighter george dark clark ile he was waa a very strong man with light hair and blue eyes of a good virginian family who early in his youth embarked on the adventurous career of a backwoods surveyor elac exactly tl y as washington and so many m any other oilier young virginians ot of spirit did at that period ile he traveled out to kentucky soon after it was opened up by doone and lived there for a year either at the stations or camping by himself in the woods surveying hunting and making war against the indians like ilka any other settler bu but t all th the a time line his mind was bent on vaster schemes cherries than were dreamed of by the men around him lie he had his spies out in the northwestern territory and became convinced that with a small force of resolute backwoodsmen backwoodsman backwoods men he be could conquer it tor for the united states when hen he went avent back to virginia gov patrick henry entered heartily into darks clarks schemes and gave him authority to fit alt out a force for his purpose |