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Explain how Tecumseh’s leadership of the Shawnee represented a CONTINUITY and CHANGE in Native American relations with Europeans and/or Americans.

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Final answer:

Tecumseh's leadership of the Shawnee signified continuity in the resistance to American expansion and the preservation of Native culture. Simultaneously, it marked a change by providing a unified front of various tribes against American infringement, entering alliances with the British, and influencing the Red Sticks during the War of 1812.

Step-by-step explanation:

The leadership of Tecumseh represented both continuity and change in Native American relations with Europeans and Americans. As a Shawnee war chief, he continued the traditional resistance against American expansion and sought to preserve Native customs and territories. This resistance dates back to struggles between Indigenous peoples and European settlers. However, Tecumseh's approach marked a significant change by actively uniting various tribes into a larger confederacy to oppose American forces, thereby scaling up the organized resistance against American encroachment.

Tecumseh and his brother Tenskwatawa urged a revival of traditional ways and a rejection of Anglo-American culture, emphasizing the preservation of their culture and autonomy. Their approach diverged from other tribal leaders who had attempted to adapt to American culture or were more inclined to sign treaties ceding land to the U.S. Tecumseh's policies resisted these treaties and the influence of the Americans, representing a change in stance from more accommodationist leaders like those who agreed to ally with the English during prior conflicts.

The outcome of Tecumseh's actions also exemplified change, as the ties he forged with the British during the War of 1812 and his influence on the Red Sticks, a faction of the Creek Nation, showcased a shift in the geopolitical alliances of Native American tribes. These actions highlighted the evolving dynamics of Native American-European/American relations and the impact of Tecumseh's leadership in shaping these relations.

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