Minnesota v. Mille Lacs Band of Chippewa Indians
Encyclopedia
Minnesota v. Mille Lacs Band of Chippewa Indians, 526 U.S. 172 (1999), was a United States
Supreme Court
decision concerning the usufruct
uary rights of the Chippewa tribe to certain lands it had ceded to the federal
government in 1837. The Court ruled that the Chippewa retained certain hunting
, fishing
, and gathering rights on the ceded land.
of 1837 , also known as the "White Pine Treaty," the Ojibwa (Chippewa) Nations ceded a vast tract of lands stretching from what now is north-central Wisconsin
to east-central Minnesota
. Article 5 of the treaty states, "The privilege of hunting, fishing, and gathering the wild rice
, upon the lands, the rivers and the lakes included in the territory ceded, is guarantied to the Indians, during the pleasure of the President of the United States
."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
decision concerning the usufruct
Usufruct
Usufruct is the legal right to use and derive profit or benefit from property that either belongs to another person or which is under common ownership, as long as the property is not damaged or destroyed...
uary rights of the Chippewa tribe to certain lands it had ceded to the federal
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
government in 1837. The Court ruled that the Chippewa retained certain hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, and gathering rights on the ceded land.
Background
Under the authority of the Treaty of St. PetersTreaty of St. Peters
Treaty of St. Peters may be one of two treaties conducted between the United States and Native American peoples, conducted at the confluence of the Minnesota River with the Mississippi River, in what today is Mendota, Minnesota....
of 1837 , also known as the "White Pine Treaty," the Ojibwa (Chippewa) Nations ceded a vast tract of lands stretching from what now is north-central Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
to east-central Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. Article 5 of the treaty states, "The privilege of hunting, fishing, and gathering the wild rice
Wild rice
Wild rice is four species of grasses forming the genus Zizania, and the grain which can be harvested from them. The grain was historically gathered and eaten in both North America and China...
, upon the lands, the rivers and the lakes included in the territory ceded, is guarantied to the Indians, during the pleasure of the President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
."
See also
- List of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 526
- List of United States Supreme Court cases
- Lists of United States Supreme Court cases by volume
- Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians v. Wisconsin