The great Shawnee warrior Tecumseh was born around 1768. He participated in his first battle during his mid-teens. Tecumseh often fought to protect the Shawnee boundary on the Ohio River. He played an important role during an attack in present-day Kentucky, in which Indians killed all but one settler. Watching the lone survivor being tortured, Tecumseh denounced his tribesmen, saying that such practices dishonored a warrior. The incident led the Shawnee to abandon the practice, and Tecumseh learned that his speechmaking could be as effective as any weapon. He soon emerged as a tribal leader.

In the early 1790s, Tecumseh followed the Miami tribe's call to unite against the white men. On August 20, 1794, U.S. Army general-in-chief "Mad Anthony" Wayne launched a devastating surprise attack against Native Americans at Fallen Timbers on Ohio's Maumee River. The Americans lost only thirty-eight men, while Native American casualties were several hundred, including...