Native Americans: Population

• The once dominant Illinois Indians (numbering more than 20,000 before the French came) were reduced from more than 6,000 people in 1700 to about 2,200 people in 1768. Population losses were due to disease and warfare.
• In the 1752 census, 147 Indian slaves--87 females and 60 males--were listed as living in French households. These Indians were from different cultural groups than the local Indian population and were often captives of war.

How do they compare? Native Americans | French Settlers | African Slaves

© Illinois State Museum 31-Dec-96