Nicholas Cresswell, The Journal of Nicholas Cresswell (1774-1781), 99

Item

Title

Nicholas Cresswell, The Journal of Nicholas Cresswell (1774-1781), 99

Includes music itself or text of song

no

Identity of singers; solo/group

native american

Space/room

council house

activity

dancing

Geographical location

Fort Pitt, Pennsylvania

Excerpt

Saw the Indians Dance in the Council house.

Context

In this section Cresswell is traveling through the midwest, the "Indian Country." He describes many customs of the different indigenous towns.

Bias of author

Cresswell was an English man visiting America with the goal of acquiring land to live in the future, as stated in the first entry of his journal. His text is often concerned with agriculture and the possibilities of improving the land and farming methods in the US. His writing is usually condescending, pointing out what he sees as the "immorality" or "backwardness" of the territories he visits. This is particularly true in descriptions of enslaved African Americans or Native American people.

Item sets