The Indian Frontier, 1763-1846

A sweeping history of the cultural clashes between Indians and the British, Spanish, Mexicans, and Americans. A story of the contest for land and power across multiple and simultaneous frontiers.

Library Journal

Up to now, lay readers and scholars looking for information on relations between Native American tribes and the U.S. government have had to consult Francis Prucha's two-volume standard survey, The Great Father, even if they were interested in only a specific period. But no longer. For information on the crucial period from the end of the French and Indian War to the beginning of the Mexican War, they can now turn to Hurt's excellent synthesis, which updates the first half of Prucha's first volume. Hurt considers each region in turn, discussing not only U.S. policy toward Native Americans but British, French, and Spanish policy as well and showing how each country related to the others and how Native dealings with one country influenced their expectations from the others. He clearly explains complex treaty and trade negotiations and provides an excellent bibliography that leads the reader deeper into the subject. One of the best history books of the year, this well-written survey belongs in every academic library and most public libraries. Stephen H. Peters, Northern Michigan Univ. Lib., Marquette Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

R. Douglas Hurt is professor of history at Iowa State University. He is also the author of The Ohio Frontier: Crucible of the Old Northwest, 1720-1830.

Howard R. Lamar is Sterling Professor Emeritus of History at Yale and a former president of that university.

Martin Ridge is a senior research associate in the Henry E. Huntington Library. He has taught at San Diego State University, Indiana University, and the California Institute of Technology. He is the former editor of the Journal of American History and the past president of the Pacific Coast Branch of the American Historical Association and Western History Association. He is the author of numerous scholarly and review articles dealing with the American West. He is the coeditor of Histories of the American Frontier.

David J. Weber is The Robert and Nancy Dedman Professor of History and the Director of the Clements Center for Southwest Studies at Southern Methodist University.