Unsettling the West: Violence and State Building in the Ohio Valley

In Unsettling the West, Rob Harper challenges the conventional portrayal of the revolutionary Ohio Valley as a chaotic battleground, revealing a more complex narrative where both Indians and colonists actively sought to establish a new political order. Harper argues that their repeated failures were less about racial animosity or land competition and more influenced by state policies promoting dispossession and rapid colonization. The narrative highlights the attempts of both groups to navigate and ally with government authorities in their quest for local autonomy, ultimately reflecting how these dynamics inadvertently strengthened state power amidst ongoing conflicts. Published by University of Pennsylvania Press, this work offers a nuanced understanding of the region's historical landscape.