Tecumseh’s confederacy was a confederation of indigenous peoples in the Great Lakes region of North America that began to form in the early 19th century around the teaching of Tenskwatawa. The confederation grew over several years and came to include several thousand warriors. Shawnee leader Tecumseh, the brother of The Prophet, developed into the leader of the group as early as 1808.
In November 1811, an American military force under the leadership of William Henry Harrison engaged warriors associated with Tenskwatawa in the Battle of Tippecanoe, resulting in a definitive American victory. In retaliation for that battle, Tecumseh led the confederation to war with the United States during a conflict later named Tecumseh’s War, part of the War of 1812. However, the confederation fractured in 1813 following his death at the Battle of the Thames.