In 1832, facing white expansion, the Sauk warrior Black Hawk attempted to forge a pan-Indian alliance that would preserve the homelands of the confederated Sauk and Fox tribes on the eastern bank of the Mississippi. However, the ensuing war with the United States decimated Black Hawk's band. The conflict has captured the imagination of historians for more than a century, and Patrick J. Jung here re-examines its causes, course, and consequences. Correcting mistakes that plagued previous histories, Jung focuses on the complex nature of Indian resistance and the role of intertribal conflict in the war.

Introduction -- Sowing the seeds of fury -- The storm clouds gather -- Rumors of war -- The Thunderbirds' first roar -- The eye of the storm -- The silence and the fury -- The Thunderbirds' last flight -- The calm after the storm.