Fort Niagara and Fort Winnebago weather diaries, 1823-1842

When the American Revolution ended in 1783, Wisconsin became part of the United States. Most residents, however, maintained much closer ties to the British in Montreal than they did to Washington. For the next 30 years, Wisconsin's white settlers and Indian nations were much more likely to consider themselves part of Canada than of the U.S. After the War of 1812, the U.S. government established firmer control. American traders throughout the Great Lakes and Mississippi Valley asked the government to erect military outposts along the Canadian border and down the Mississippi to New Orleans. Three forts were constructed in Wisconsin: Fort Howard at Green Bay, which functioned 1816-1852; Fort Crawford at Prairie du Chien, which operated 1816-1856; and Fort Winnebago at Portage, which was staffed 1828-1845. Soldiers and officials stationed at these forts preserved the peace, protected American commerce from Canadian interlopers, negotiated treaties with Indian nations, and cons