Welcome to a unique, on-line resource for Delaware treaty history. The Delaware, or Lenape, tribe of Indians, signed the first-ever "Indian treaty" with the newly-born United States of America in 1778. To date, the Lenape people, now located in Oklahoma and Canada, have suffered betrayals, massacres, and at least seven "Trails of Tears," all marked by multiple treaties and multiple relocations.Originally located in the river valleys and woodland mountains of Delaware, NY, New Jersey, and some areas of Pennsylvania, the Delaware peoples have achieved an extraordinary record of negotiations with both the United States and Canadian governments. They also have achieved an extraordinary record of physical and cultural survival. I am proud to be sharing in this era's resurgence and preservation of Lenape culture, language, and lifeways through the Delaware Tribe of Indians in Bartlesville, OK.
"In 1778, when the newly-declared United States was only a spit in King George's eye, the United States signed what would become its first Indian Treaty..."
FootnotesPlease note that I am primarily using "Delaware" in these treaty and history pages, rather than Lenape, the ancient name in Lenape tongue. I have chosen to do so for a very practical reason: the tribe's official name is the Delaware Tribe of Indians, and the other two Delaware groups (Western Oklahoma and Canda)also use the name Delaware. Hence, it made a great deal of sense to do the same.
