Was William Mcinntosh Assassination Justified

Although credible sources acknowledge the death of William McIntosh as an assassination commandeered by rival Chief Menwana; Creek law divulges that Chief Menwana was not only justified, but also encouraged by Creek law to kill Chief McIntosh. Chief McIntosh was a controversial Creek leader whose strong relationship with the United States government cast suspicion about his loyalty to the Creeks. “McIntosh was related by blood or marriage to several prominent Georgians...These marriages helped to solidify McIntosh’s political alliances and his loyalty to the United States.”(Stock, Melissa para. 3) In the years prior to his death, William McIntosh attempted to remain as a trusted Creek leader while supporting the United States of America. According to Melissa Stock, he was “instrumental” in several wars that helped the United States gain the territory of Native Americans, even fighting in the Creek War of 1813, where he led the lower Creeks against the Upper Creeks, who opposed ceding land to America.(para.5) All of the Creek nation members, even the lower creeks who fought for the government, lost land in result of the war. In total, the Creeks ceded 22 million acres of land. Later on, the lower Creeks began to lose their trust in William McIntosh as McIntosh helped the American government by enacting their plans to “civilize” the Creeks and began to give away the Creek land without the opinion of the Creek Indians for personal gain.(Stock, Melissa para. 4) The key event that truly showed McIntosh abandoned his nation was when he, as well as six other Creek Leaders rallied by McIntosh, signed the Treaty of Indian Springs in 1821, thus ceding all Creek land to the states of Georgia and Alabama. “For his role in the Treaty of Indian Springs in 1821, McIntosh received 1,000 acres of land...and $400,000.”(Bullman, James pg. 2 paragraph. 5) Shortly after, a large group of Creek Indians led by his rival from the Creek war, Chief Menwana, “assassinated” William McIntosh after burning down his house and all of his family’s possessions. Instead of focusing on whether or not Chief Menwana was justified in killing William McIntosh, for McIntosh sold his nation for personal gain, the focus of this paper is to discuss whether or not the “assassination” should even be classified as an assassination. …show more content…
Even google references the death of William McIntosh as an assassination by chief Menwana; however, further investigation provided information proving that the death of William McIntosh was an execution certainly justified and supported by Creek law. Several reliable sources such as that of James Bullman’s claim that William McIntosh signed the treaty ceding Creek land despite a Creek law that he supported stating that “anyone who sold or gave away Creek land would be killed.”(pg.2 para.4) Furthermore, “the chiefs(of the Creek nation), in session at the National Council had determined to execute William McIntosh.”(Wright Jr., Amos page. 263 paragraph. 2), thus proving that the justified “assassination” of William McIntosh was a government supported execution. While the evidence supporting my statement that the death of William McIntosh was not an assassination, despite being recognized as one is very strong, there is also worthy counter evidence. Amos Wright’s book, claims that after William McIntosh’s death, a delegation of chief Creeks including Chief Menwana went to Washington and returned with