Essay, Research Paper: Black Hawk Vs Davy Crockett

The lives of David Crockett and that of Black Hawk have similarities and differences. They were both men of the same time era, who had memoirs and views of issues of that time period. Even though their views might have been different, they both lived through the same controversial issues of the time.
David Crockett and Black Hawk both had strong ties to their fathers. David Crockett who was the prodigal son who came back home to his father worked one year to pay of his father's notes. The first note his father asked him to help him pay for by working for a man for six months. After the six months Crockett tried to find work on his own in order to make some of his money. He went to the home of John Kennedy and asked if he could work for him, Crockett agreed to work for him for a trail week. After the week Kennedy was satisfied with the Crockett's work, however he informed him of another debt his father owed to Kennedy. Crockett felt it was his duty to work off his father's debt. "He held a note on my father for forty dollars, and that he would give me that note if I would work for him six months... it was my duty as a child to help him along..." (Crockett pg. 69) For one year David Crockett worked off the debts of his father sacrificing himself to save his father.
Black Hawk was similar in his close ties with his father. When Black Hawk lost his father in a battle he was overcome with vengeance. "The lost of my father, by the Cherokees, made me anxious to avenge his death, by annihilation, if possible of all their race." (Hawk pg. 90) His bond to his father caused him to feel hatred to those that killed him, and take revenge for his father.
Both men considered themselves as mighty warriors, writing about their victories and their great wins and little losses. David Crockett wrote about his encounter of an Indian village, "the number that we took prisoners, being added to the number we killed amounted to one hundred and eighty- six... we had five men killed." (Crockett pg. 73) Black Hawk writes in a similar way, in which he emphasizes the enemies greater lost, and his small lost. A small price to pay for victory.
Both men tell tales of hunts and "tall tales" of their great battles. Black Hawk speaks of his battles and the death he brings to his enemies. "During this attack I killed seven men and two boys, with my own hand... I killed thirteen of their bravest, with my own hand." (Hawk pg. 90) Crockett has told stories of his hunting trips and killing bears, where he once boasted of killing one hundred and fifty bears in one year. These stories are highly unbelievable, yet one never knows whether they are true or not.
Both Black Hawk and David Crockett were on different sides of the ideology of the western movement of the American people. Black Hawk felt that the people invading the space and land of his people were destroying his land. They were taking over his homes and corn crops, and he was outraged by the actions of these people. Crockett felt it was okay for the people to move on west and take over the land of the Native Americans since it was for the betterment of the United States. Crockett was willing to fight against the Indians even though he hated the idea of war and fighting. "It was mighty hard to go against such arguments as these; but my countrymen had been murdered." (Crockett pg. 71)
Black Hawk and Crockett also had different styles of fighting. Crockett was willing to kill anyone, no matter who it was. "They were murdering helpless women and little children, determined to fight until they were killed." (Hawk pg. 101) Hawk never speaks of killing women and children, however he did speak of killing boys. "I released four men - the other, a young squaw, we brought home. Great as was my hatred for this people, I could not kill so small a party." (Hawk pg. 90) Hawk shared some respect in the deaths of his enemies and the battles in which he fought. Crockett didn't seems to lack the respect in the dead and his enemies. He tells of a story where he and his troop are hungry and finds potatoes from the village of Indians he had just massacred. "We found a fine chance of potatoes in it, and hunger compelled us to eat them... for the oil of the Indians we had burned up on the day before had fat down them, and they looked like they had been stewed with fat meat." (Crockett pg. 73)


David Crockett and Black Hawk were on opposite sides of the fight. David Crockett was fighting and believed that the United States was right in taking over the lands of the Native Americans and breaking promises, where Black Hawk was fighting to live on his land and home. In the land where he was promised he could live on. However his home was being taken over and his fields being taken away from him. "I received information that three families of whites had arrived at our village, and destroyed some of our lodges, and were making fences and dividing our corn-fields for their own use - and were quarreling among themselves about their lines, in the division... I went to my lodge, and saw a family occupying it." (Hawk pg. 99)
David Crockett was seen as a hero for many in the United States. Black Hawk was seen as a hero to his people, someone who fought for the rights for his people. However he was sent to prison for his actions. And Crockett was praised for his. Black Hawk at one point sided with the British, because of the many broken promises the United States made and Black Hawk felt that the British was more trustworthy for the promises they kept.
David Crockett lived a life of a frontiersman, in where he believed the United States had to expand even though it meant taking lands that belonged to the Native Americans. Black Hawk lived a life where there were constant fights over land being taken and divided among the whites. However, even with the many differences they shared similarities. They both had the common kinship of being a man. They both shared the need to better their people; they both felt the close bonds with their family.

autobiographies of Black Hawk and David Crockett
Personal Autobiographies Volume 1