Today is August 20, and on this date in history, in 1794, the United States won a decisive victory over the British backed Indians in the
Battle of Fallen Timbers near Toledo, Ohio.
After the treaty with Great Britain in 1783, when it gained its independence, the United States, on paper, at least, had title to the Northwest Territories which are today the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and part of Minnesota.
The problem was that the United States had little control over the area and British soldiers still garrisoned forts at Detroit, Toledo, Ohio, and other places. The Brits supported the Indians to oppose USA expansion into the area.
Fallen Timbers was a small battle but a decisive one. It lead to the
opening of Ohio to American settlement, and Ohio joined the union less than ten years after the battle. It also led to the
Jay Treaty of 1795, and under that agreement, the British abandoned their strongholds on United States territory and withdrew into Canada.
This was really the beginning of "Manifest Destiny" and westward expansion.
