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Rage Across the Motor City
Abandoned warehouses houl mournfully on the riverfront. Factories stare out from glassless windows. Churches compete in vain with liquor stores for the attentions of citizens not too strung out on the latest fix the poor have made popular. Rusted-out victims of grand theft auto litter the unplowed side streets, creating for many the only playground they'll ever see. Mages struggle against a Concensus that has lost hope. Garou and their allies take up arms, preparing to defend the few caerns remaining, the few places where Gaia's spirit can still be found.
Welcome to the Motor City. Welcome to Detroit. |
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History of Detroit in the World of Darkness
(Information which differs from "conventional" history, and is marked by the yellow text.) |
Prelude - The Mound Builders
The first people to inhabit the Southern Great Lakes region (including the Detroit area) were builders of
burial and ceremonial mounds (and hence, are referred to by Westerners as the Mound Builders). The Mound
Builders lived in the area before the Native American tribes that we know of today. These ancient sites
(long since flattened and turned into streets), were either of a conical shape, used for burial, or like
a pyramid with the top sliced off. Researchers believe that the latter type of mounds may have been used
as lookouts or some sort of communication posts. Large areas of land appeared to have been "marked off"
by mounds, as though they were used as a defense system. Other areas contained one large mound
surrounded by several small mounds, thus giving way to the theory that they may have been used for
ceremonial purposes. The largest known mound in the Detroit area was on the eastern bank of the Rouge
River and was called by explorers "The Great Mound of the River Rouge." It was once 200 feet long, 300
feet wide, and 20 feet talle. When it was destroyed, axes, chisels, pottery, arrow heads, and very old
human bones were found inside of it.
France "claims" Canada, settles across the area
In 1535, Jacques Cartier
"discovered" the St. Lawrence River and sailed up it to what is now Montreal, claiming Canada for France.
1600 marks the first written record of inhabitants in the Detroit area. The coureurs de bois (early
French inhabitants of the current US and Canada who gave up their farmsteads for lives in the fur trade),
and Jesuits (members of the Roman Catholic Society of Jesus), were among the first settlers in the
area. In addition, explorers reported evidence of Native American villages.
From the founding of Quebec in 1608, and over the next couple of decades, the French settled throughout
what is now Quebec and Ontario. In 1618, Jean Nicolet was sent to the Straits of Mackinac, where he is
believed to be the first European to visit what is now Michigan. A few years later, in 1622, Etienne
Brule and Grenoble became the first Europeans to reach present day Michigan. They were searching for a
water way to the Pacific - instead, they find what is now the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
The century continues, with the French settling and exploring much of the area. At the close of the 1600's,
France is at war with the native Iroquois, and have built many fortifications along the Great Lakes. In
1696, Louis XIV, after reports of 'demoralization' of Native Americans with brandy, ordered all non-Jesuit
French to leave the upper regions. All French forts along the Great Lakes were closed and abondoned. In
1698, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac,
who had been given command of Fort de Baude (and thus all posts in the west), went to the court of Louis XIV
to propose to make Detroit the main trading post in the area. That same year, Forts de Buade and St. Joseph
were abondoned. After returning to Quebec, having gotten the King's permission to establish a settlement in
the Detroit area, the grant was formalized on February 25th, giving Cadillac 15 square acres, of his choice
along the Detroit River. Three months later (on May 22nd), Cadillac set sail from Montreal, bringing 25
canoes, 2 priests, 50 soldiers, 50 coureurs de bois, 100 Native Americans, and his 2nd in command. Thus,
Detroit became a French settlement.
1701 - 1760 - British, French and Native Americans battle for territory, trading
In 1745, British and New Englanders attacked the French post Louisburg (at the head of the St. Lawrence
River) in attempts to gain full access to the great waterway. The battle lasted 10 weeks and ended with
the French surrendering the post.
In 1746, Chief Mackinac led a group of Chippewas in an attack on Fort Ponchartrain (Detroit). The attack
was halted by Chief Pontiac, of the Ottowas, who drove the Chippewas away.
In 1748, the French and British signed the Treaty of aix la Chapelle. Louisburg once again became a French
post.
In 1758, British General Jeffrey Amherst led a second attack on Louisburg. The British once again took
possession of the fort. Later the same year, the British took Fort Duquesne.
In July of 1759, the British captured Fort Niagra. On September 13th of that year, they British captured
Quebec. On September 8, 1760, the British captured Montreal. The Articles of Capitulation stipulated that
all remaining French posts were to be handed over to the British. On November 29th, Major Robert Rogers
took command of Fort Ponchartrain (now called Fort Detroit) for the British. He left a month later for
Fort Pitt, leaving Captain Donald Campbell commandant.
1760 - 1796 - British Rule
1760 marked a distinct, and dangerous, change in the area. British rule was quite different from the
French. For one thing, the British didn't share the French interest in developing and maintaining friendly
relations with Native Americans. The British did not trust the Native Americans the way the French did.
They were interested solely in a business relationship with the tribes. General Amherst sent orders to
limit ammunitions sold to Native Americans, leading them to feel as though the British were tyring to
take away their means of feeding themselves. These things resulted in many tribes leaving the area and/or
developing negative feelings toward the garrison and some settlers. Many French settlers left as well.
Some of them simply moved from the village to farms they owned outside of the village. At the same time,
English, Irish, and Scottish settlers began moving in.
The process of assessing and collecting taxes was also changed under British rule. While the French levied
tax from land owners in proportion to land holdings and sent the proceeds to the French court, the British
collected a tax to support to the garrison, as well as, requiring each family to supply cord wood to the
fort. Much of the tax money was used to keep up the picket line, which was in constant need of repair -
kind of like the highways in Detroit today. Part of the need for increased taxes was the result of the fur
trade bringing in less profit than was expected. Some sources blame part of this on the tendency of some
Scottish and Scotch-Irish traders to report lower than actual trade income, keeping the extra for
themselves.
Law enforcement was also different under British rule. While the French leaders were fairly mild in their
rule, British commandants bore both military and civic authority - both of which were exercised to the
fullest extent.
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