Treaty of Fort Pitt
- When
- 1778–1782
- Where
- Fort Pitt, Pennsylvania (site of present-day Downtown Pittsburgh); Fort Pitt, Pennsylvania; Location of death not specified in sources; Philadelphia delegation visit; collapse spanning the frontier
- Episodes
- 6
The Treaty of Fort Pitt, signed September 17, 1778, was the first formal treaty between the United States and a Native American nation, the Lenape (Delaware). Essentially a military alliance, it permitted American troops to cross Lenape territory and promised supplies and a protective fort, but its provisions went unfulfilled and relations soon collapsed.
Episodes
- American Offensive Intentions Behind the Fort
American leaders intended to use the promised fort for offensive campaigns, and wrote into the treaty that the Lenape would attack their native neighbors.
- Signing of the Treaty of Fort Pitt
On September 17, 1778, the United States and the Lenape signed the first formal treaty between the new republic and a Native American group at Fort Pitt.
- Military Alliance and Mutual Obligations
The treaty created a military alliance: Lenape territory opened to American troops, with Lenape aid promised, in exchange for supplies and a fort in Delaware country.
- Recognition of Lenape Sovereignty and Proposed State
The treaty recognized Lenape sovereignty and territorial rights, and invited friendly tribes to form a state headed by the Delaware nation with congressional representation.
- Death of White Eyes
White Eyes, the lead Lenape negotiator, died in November 1778 and was later believed to have been murdered by a white militiaman.
- Collapse of Treaty Relations
After a dissatisfied Lenape delegation visited Congress in 1779 without result, relations collapsed; the Lenape joined the British, and the 1782 Gnadenhutten massacre ended remaining goodwill.
Background and detail
Background. In 1778 the Continental Army began contemplating an expedition against British positions west of the Appalachian Mountains, particularly at Detroit. American commissioners arrived in Pittsburgh in March 1778 to negotiate. Although informal agreements between Native Americans and Americans had occurred during the Revolutionary War, this negotiation produced the first formal document.
Terms of the Treaty. The treaty was essentially a military alliance between the Lenape Nation and the United States. It allowed American troops to travel through Lenape territory and called on the Lenape to aid American forces against Great Britain, including warrior participation. In exchange, the United States promised clothing, utensils, and implements of war, and undertook to build a fort in Delaware country for the security of elders, women, and children.
Sovereignty and the Proposed State. The treaty recognized the Lenape as a sovereign nation and guaranteed their territorial rights. It invited other tribes friendly to the United States to join a confederation and form a state headed by the Delaware nation, with representation in the Continental Congress. This provision was buried in committee in Congress and never fulfilled.
Aftermath and Collapse. Lead Lenape negotiator White Eyes died in November 1778, later believed murdered by a white militiaman. A Lenape delegation visited Philadelphia in 1779 to express dissatisfaction to Congress, but nothing changed. Peaceful relations collapsed, the tribe soon joined the British, and the Gnadenhutten massacre in 1782 destroyed the remaining goodwill.
People involved
- Lenape Nation (Delaware) · Native American treaty party; called the Delaware by white settlers
- United States of America · New nation concluding its first formal treaty with a Native American group
- White Eyes · Lead Lenape negotiator; died November 1778, later believed murdered by a white militiaman
Sources
- Treaty of Fort Pitt Wikipedia, revision of 2026-06-23
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.