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Fort DearbornThe Chicago port was essential for trade. It needed protection against attacks from the Native Americans.
In 1803, the American army built Fort Dearborn through the Chicago River. Settlers thought it would keep them safe but it didn't. In 1812, the U.S. had another war with England. The English joined the Native Americans to try to win back their territory.
When the war of 1812 broke out between Great Britain and the United States, the government ordered Fort Dearborn abandoned. On August 15, 1812, many soldiers and settlers left Fort Dearborn to go to Fort Wayne in Indiana. They had traveled a short distance when over 500 Indians attacked. About half the people in the group were killed by the Indians, the others were captured, and the Indians burned Fort Dearborn to the ground. No other Americans lived there until 1816 after the massacre, when American soldiers rebuilt Fort Dearborn.
In 1816, after the war ended, Fort Dearborn was rebuilt and slowly, settlers started to come back. The people moving west from the eastern states were still afraid of the Native Americans. They settled in the south parts of Illinois where they were safer but the new Fort Dearborn did help to protect the settlers. In 1818 Illinois became a state. South parts of Illinois had a population of about 40,000 people. Around then, only about 100 people lived in Chicago.