Harriet Robinson Scott: From the Frontier to Freedom

Harriet Robinson Scott: From the Frontier to Freedom — page 5
Fort Snelling was a military fort and fur trading outpost located in present day Minnesota Native Americans traded furs with settlers at the fort Taliaferro had been FEDERAL INDIAN AGENTS The US federal government created Indian agencies in the early 1800s The agencies controlled the trade between the United States and Native American tribes Agents reported traders who broke trade laws Agents were also responsible for settling disputes Sometimes the disputes were between settlers and Native Americans Other times they were between different Native American tribes But Indian agents often did not look out for the interests of Native Americans Many agents tried to influence Native Americans They encouraged Native Americans to give up their traditional religions and practice Christianity instead Some agents sold tribal lands to ranchers and other nonnative people assigned to work at Fort Snelling in 1820 He traveled to the fort every year This time his wife Elizabeth was going with him Harriet was going to work as her house servant Because Harriet was enslaved she had no choice about moving 8