Immigration and the Middle Ground

US History – Movement in the Early Republic, 1754-1800

In this course, Professor Stephen Rockwell (St. Joseph's College, New York) explains how and why migration and immigration to and within North America caused competition and conflict over the period 1754-1800. We start by looking at immigration to North America and the 'Middle Ground' in this period. We then turn to look at the French and Indian War for control and influence of the Middle Ground. The next two modules will look at how Britain and later the US tried to control their populations and how these strategies were resisted. In the penultimate module we will discuss the unsteady nature of the early Republic. Finally, we will explore slavery and population movement in the early Republic.

Immigration and the Middle Ground

In this module, we look at immigration to North America and the 'Middle Ground' in this period. This period saw a number of groups fighting for control of the Old Northwest. This created a space in which Native Americans had to accommodate many different types of European settlers in what has become known as the 'Middle Ground'. While these interactions often sparked conflicts they also created social and economic opportunities for Native Americans and European settlers.