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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Our commemoration of Illinois history and the War
3of 1812 should be guided by a universal belief that all persons
4have inherent worth and dignity; human relations should be
5based on justice, equity, and compassion; this world should be
6a community of peace, liberty, and justice for all; and our
7communities should seek to live in peace with our fellow human
8beings, both as individuals and as peoples; and
 
9    WHEREAS, The Doctrine of Discovery was a principle of law
10developed in a series of 15th century papal bulls and royal
11charters by European monarchs by which the Americas were first
12explored, and was the legal authority used by those who
13colonized the Americas, appropriated lands and resources, and
14dealt with the tribes and nations of Native Americans; and
 
15    WHEREAS, After the United States Revolutionary War, the
16tenets of the Doctrine of Discovery were continued by the new
17states and courts, controlling all purchase of lands and any
18foreign, personal, or commercial interactions with tribes of
19Native Americans; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Prior to and during the War of 1812, the
21principles of the Doctrine of Discovery were practiced by both
22the British and the United States in relations and transactions

 

 

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1with the Native American tribes; and
 
2    WHEREAS, The Illinois Territory was on the border of this
3conflict between Great Britain and the United States and used
4by the British to conduct raids on American settlements during
5the War of 1812; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Following the War of 1812, Native American peoples
7who had supported either the United States or Great Britain
8during the war continued to be subjected to the policies of the
9Doctrine of Discovery resulting in their displacement as tribal
10units from within the State of Illinois; and
 
11    WHEREAS, As Illinois moves forward in the 21st century,
12many citizens of Native American ancestry have found a place
13within Illinois to live their lives, celebrate their unique
14identity, and lead all Americans in our enjoyment of our common
15heritage; and
 
16    WHEREAS, From April 26-28, 2012, the 2012 Illinois History
17Symposium's "Contested Lands: 1763-1840" will discuss the
18enduring impact of the Doctrine of Discovery on the land and
19culture of Illinois; and
 
20    WHEREAS, The Symposium will convene in East Peoria, thereby
21paying homage to one of the most contested sites of the

 

 

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1Illinois theatre of the War of 1812 and joining in the
2observance of the bicentennial of the outbreak of the war;
3therefore, be it
 
4    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
5NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
6we welcome the 2012 Illinois History Symposium and its
7commemoration of our State in the War of 1812; and be it
8further
 
9    RESOLVED, That we assert that all Native American peoples
10whose ancestors once lived on, temporarily resided in, or
11traveled through the great State of Illinois, shall henceforth
12be fully recognized for their rich cultural contributions to
13Illinois and the United States; and be it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
15presented to the Illinois State Historical Society, the
16American Indian Center in Chicago, the American Indian Museum
17at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., and the D'Arcy McNickel
18Center for the History of the American Indian, Newberry
19Library, in Chicago.