With the courage and resilience embodied by their legendary leader Tecumseh, the Shawnees waged a war of territorial and cultural resistance for half a century. Noted historian Colin G. Calloway details the political and legal battles and the bloody fighting on both sides for possession of the Shawnees? land, while imbuing historical figures such as warrior chief Tecumseh, Daniel Boone, and Andrew Jackson with all their ambiguity and complexity. More than defending their territory, the Shawnees went to war to preserve a way of life and their own deeply held vision of what their nation should be.

Calloway offers an account of the early American settlers' drive to occupy the West, the Shawnee's unwavering defense of their homeland, and the bitter battles that resulted. Also noted are the instances of cooperation, collaboration, and intermarriage between the opposing forces.