In the early 1800s, a new road changed the land that would later become Alabama. It was called the Federal Road, and it was built through Creek Territory, where many Native American nations lived. This road made it much easier for settlers and enslaved people to travel into the area.
The Federal Road started as a simple mail route, but it quickly became more important. Soldiers, traders, and families used the road to move deeper into Creek land. Along the road, people built inns and taverns where travelers could rest and eat. The U.S. government also built Fort Stoddert to protect travelers and control the area.
A man named Benjamin Hawkins worked with the Creek people during this time. He helped create a plan called the “Plan of Civilization.” This plan tried to make Native Americans change how they lived and farmed to be more like settlers. But many Creek people were proud of their own culture and worked hard to keep their traditions alive.
In 1805, the Creek Nation signed the Treaty of Washington. This treaty allowed the U.S. to build and use the Federal Road across Creek land. In return, the Creek were promised money and other payments. But over time, more and more settlers and enslaved people came, and the Creek began to lose land, safety, and power. The road that brought trade and travel also brought big changes and new problems for Native Americans.
The Federal Road made it easier for settlers to move in, but it also made life harder for the Creek and other Native nations. As more people arrived, Native communities had to work hard to protect their land, culture, and way of life.