Pontiac’s Rebellion was extremely cruel. The Anglos and Indians both killed prisoners and targeted civilians. The British also made a concerted effort to use biological warfare against the Indians. Officers at Fort Pitt tried to infect the besieging Indians with blankets that had been exposed to smallpox. The results were uncertain. The attempt is representative of the racial hatred growing between the two peoples. Historian David Dixon argues, “Pontiac’s War was unprecedented for its awful violence, as both sides seemed intoxicated with genocidal fanaticism.” Learn more about smallpox as a biological weapon
As a Native Indian, you are on the receiving end of these biological weapons. How can you convince the British to stop this kind of warfare?
