As the United States and Britain argued over trade and ships at sea, another conflict was growing in the West. American settlers kept moving onto lands where Indigenous nations had lived for generations. Many Indigenous people fought to protect their homes and way of life. These tensions became another reason conflicts with Britain continued to grow.
One of the most important leaders was Tecumseh, a Shawnee leader from the Ohio Valley. He wanted to unite many Indigenous nations into a confederacy, or alliance, to resist American expansion. His brother, Tenskwatawa, or the Prophet, urged Indigenous people to reject American customs. He wanted them to embrace their traditional ways again. Together, they founded Prophetstown in present-day Indiana as a center of resistance.
British officials in Canada saw Indigenous nations as valuable allies. With few soldiers to defend Canada, Britain traded with Indigenous nations and supplied some groups with weapons and goods. Many Americans believed Britain was encouraging Indigenous resistance to slow American expansion westward.
In 1811, while Tecumseh was away seeking support, Governor William Henry Harrison led U.S. soldiers to attack Prophetstown. American forces destroyed the village during the Battle of Tippecanoe. The fighting scattered many of the people living at Prophetstown and forced Tecumseh to rebuild his alliance. After the battle, American forces found British-made weapons. This strengthened the belief that Britain was supporting Indigenous resistance.
For many Americans, the conflict with Britain no longer seemed limited to shipping and trade. They increasingly believed Britain's actions threatened the nation's security both at sea and along the Western frontier.