A Knight's Tale is a 2001 American romantic adventure film written, directed, and produced by Brian Helgeland. The film stars Heath Ledger, Shannyn Sossamon, Mark Addy, Alan Tudyk, Rufus Sewell, Paul Bettany as Geoffrey Chaucer, and James Purefoy as Sir Thomas Colville/Edward, the Black Prince.

The film follows the story of William Thatcher, a peasant masquerading as a knight, along with his companions in the world of medieval jousting. William poses as a knight and competes in tournaments, winning accolades and acquiring friendships with such historical figures as Edward, the Black Prince of Wales and Geoffrey Chaucer.

The film takes its title from Chaucer's "The Knight's Tale" in his Canterbury Tales, though the plot is not especially similar. Garnering $117,487,473 with a budget of $41 million, it becomes successful at the worldwide box office.

Plot[link]

Set in late Medieval Europe in the mid-14th century, the story begins with the protagonists and squires, William (Heath Ledger), Roland (Mark Addy) and Wat (Alan Tudyk), discovering their master, Sir Ector (Nick Brimble), dead of bowel problems in the middle of a jousting tournament. He was ahead "three lances to none" and merely had to finish the final round to win the tournament and be awarded the money that was to buy food for them all. While Wat and Roland resign themselves to destitution now that they no longer have Sir Ector's employment and protection, William Thatcher takes the armour, and more importantly the helmet, from Sir Ector's body and poses as the noble to finish the match. William's inexperience is evident, as he receives a lance blow to the face mask, but regardless wins the tournament (and the money) due to Ector's previous lead. This gives William the idea that, with proper training, he and his companions could make a living in jousting. For a month, William trains with the help of Roland and Wat to improve his balance and aim. After many tries Will is able to joust properly and is therefore ready to compete.

Along the way to his first tournament in Rouen, William and his friends come upon Geoffrey Chaucer (Paul Bettany), trudging down a road with no clothes or money. William persuades the writer to fake his patents of nobility, as it is illegal for peasants to joust, and joins the jousting circuit under the assumed name of "Sir Ulrich von Liechtenstein" from Gelderland. Chaucer is then discovered to have a gambling problem, which William saves him from by paying his debts with his tournament winnings, and therefore gains Geoffrey's true loyalty (and services as a herald at the tournaments). Helped by Chaucer, Wat and Roland, he begins to win match after match. When his armour—still the same suit taken from Sir Ector—becomes loose and damaged, he gains an addition to his fellowship, Kate the blacksmith (Laura Fraser), who makes him revolutionary new armour and decides to travel with them. He faces a Sir Thomas Colville (James Purefoy) in one of his matches and deals him a crippling blow, but rather than finish him off William instead agrees to a draw in order to preserve Colville's honor. William meets and falls in love with a noble lady, Jocelyn (Shannyn Sossamon), who has already been noticed by the powerful Count Adhemar (Rufus Sewell), the film's antagonist. A rivalry begins between the two of them for the affection of Jocelyn and the accolades of the tournaments, and Adhemar defeats William in his first tournament.

In the following tournament, they are both assigned to tilt against Sir Thomas Collville but Adhemar withdraws at the last minute after learning his true identity is that of Edward, the Black Prince (who assumed another identity hoping he will get a rare chance to compete if his opponents do not know his identity as the Prince of Wales), not willing to take the risk of harming English royalty. When William's turn comes, however, his competitiveness overcomes the pressure to withdraw, and he jousts with Edward (to Edward's surprise and pleasure) and wins the tournament, along with Edward's respect (because of the respect William has shown him in turn on two separate occasions, which the Prince considers an honorable and knightly quality). Following this, Will's companions, Wat, Roland, Kate, and Geoff, gamble all of their share of the money that William will win the French tournament in Paris. Simultaneously, Jocelyn tells William that he must lose the tournament to prove his love to her. After he openly accepts defeat after defeat, she changes her mind; he must now win to prove his love. He does win the tournament. After this, Jocelyn joins him in bed.

The group travels to London for the World Championship, and an important flashback to William's childhood is shown. His father, wanting the best for his son, reluctantly gave him over for squire services to Sir Ector, so that someday, he could realize his dream of becoming a knight and "change his stars" to live a better life than his father. Returning to the present, and to London for the first time since childhood, William, assuming that his father has long since died, visits his old neighborhood. He talks to a young local girl, (Alice Connor), who informs him that his father is still alive and well, albeit blind. William visits his father, initially presenting himself as Ulrich; and tells him that he has a message from William: that he has changed his stars after all. His father, overcome with joyous emotion, realizes it is actually his son, and they embrace and spend hours together.

Although everything appears well, Adhemar has returned from fighting in the Battle of Poitiers and discovers William's humble origins from a young girl outside Thatcher's home. He alerts the authorities. William's friends, including Jocelyn beg him to flee. Jocelyn promises to give up her privileged life and run away with him, but he refuses to run; and is arrested. Adhemar visits him in prison and gloats that he will marry Jocelyn, while beating the defenseless William. When William is moved to the stocks, his companions all stand with him to defend him from the crowd, which grows increasingly hostile until Prince Edward emerges from the mob. Silencing the crowd, and privately noting that William's friends' willingness to stand by him reflects the honour that he has earned, Edward orders William to be released, declaring that his historians have discovered that William is descended from an "ancient royal line" and that he is entitled to a knighthood after all; repaying William for the respect William had previously shown him (as it is the Prince's verdict, none are allowed to argue). He knights William. The newly dubbed "Sir William" goes on to resume his place in the tournament and compete against Adhemar.

With Jocelyn and William's father in attendance, Adhemar cheats with an illegal lance with a sharp point on the tip, which stabs into William's shoulder during the first round. William, unable to grip his lance or breathe properly due to his injury, has his armour removed and his lance strapped to his arm while Chaucer buys time by providing the introduction he 'forgot' earlier, and competes in the final round wearing only ordinary clothing. The two adversaries charge for the final bout, with William's life in the balance. He shouts his finally accepted true name, "WILLIAM," and knocks Adhemar from his horse, winning the tournament. Chaucer remarks that he should write this whole story down, a reference to "The Knight's Tale" of the Canterbury Tales. Jocelyn runs out ecstatically to meet William and they embrace in a long kiss.

Cast[link]

• Heath Ledger as William Thatcher/Sir Ulrich/Sir William (late in the film), a determined peasant who proves that he is not only a fantastic jouster, but is also more knightly in his acts and countenance than many of the high-born nobles
• Rufus Sewell as Count Adhemar, the main antagonist- a cowardly, petty knight who is not above cheating his way to victory
• Shannyn Sossamon as Jocelyn, a high-born lady who expects more from her life than what a woman could expect in those days
• Bérénice Bejo as Christiana, Jocelyn's loyal friend and lady-in-waiting
• Paul Bettany as Geoffrey Chaucer, an extremely well spoken herald & writer
• Laura Fraser as Kate, a hard-working widowed blacksmith wanting to be recognized for her talent, and not defined by her gender
• Mark Addy as Roland, a chubby squire and solid friend of Thatcher. He finds amusement in the interactions between Chaucer and Wat
• Alan Tudyk as Wat, a red-haired squire and loyal friend of Thatchers', with a fiery temper
• James Purefoy as Sir Thomas Colville (Edward, the Black Prince)
• Leagh Conwell as Young William Thatcher
• Christopher Cazenove as John Thatcher
• Steven O'Donnell as Simon the Summoner
• Nick Brimble as Sir Ector, the knight who had William, Roland, and Wat as squires
• Roger Ashton-Griffiths as Old Bishop
• David Schneider as Relic Seller
• Alice Connor as Lone Girl
• Berwick Kaler as Man in Stocks

Production[link]

The entire film was shot in Prague, Czech Republic.

The film includes a great deal of jousting footage. The initial scene of the two knights jousting is actually footage of Heath Ledger's stunt double in an accident. During filming of a later scene in the movie, the lance of the stunt double's opponent moved off target and hit him in the head. The double fell to the ground unconscious. In another incident, Heath Ledger knocked out one of director Brian Helgeland's front teeth with a broomstick when the two were demonstrating a jousting move. It took several months for Helgeland's mouth to heal enough to repair the damage.

Plenty of effort was expended creating lances that would convincingly explode upon impact without injuring the stunt riders. The body of each lance was scored so it would break easily, and the tips were made of balsa wood. Each was also hollowed out, with the holes filled with balsa splinters and uncooked linguine.^[1] Jousting armour was made by Rod Vass and his company Armordillo Ltd. using a unique sprayed Polyurethane system that they invented for the film Gladiator. On screen it is almost impossible to distinguish between the polyurethane stunt armour and steel armour, much of which was also made by Armordillo. Heath Ledger's armour was originally made in steel along with 3 x Polyurethane stunt replicas.

Use of anachronisms[link]

In the film's actor/director DVD commentary, Brian Helgeland, co-commentating with Paul Bettany, states that the film was intended to have occurred sometime in the 1370s during a six-month period in which Chaucer had apparently gone missing and show what he might have done during this time, which Helgeland says later on in the commentary inspired Chaucer to write his Canterbury Tales. (The first Canterbury tale is The Knight's Tale. Chaucer also threatens two men he meets in the film with undying humiliation through fiction; these characters seem to have inspired the vitriolic descriptions of the Tales' Pardoner and Summoner.)

Helgeland also jokes in the commentary that he chose 1970s music and hairstyles for the movie because "the seventies are always the same", regardless of century. More seriously, Helgeland justifies his use of music by speculating that even during the 1370s, persons in the main characters' age group would've enjoyed newer, more contemporary music than something that had been around since their great grandparents were young, and opted to use music that would affect the audience the same way late 14th century music would've affected the youth of the 1370s. Thus, Helgeland attempted to stylize the movie in such a way as to bring the Middle Ages to the audience, rather than force the audience into the Middle Ages.

To this end, many intentional anachronisms are used within the story itself. Jocelyn's appearance combines medieval and modern styles, and the armor Kate makes for William is engraved with a symbol resembling the Nike logo. In the first jousting scene, when "We Will Rock You" is playing, the crowd provides the rhythmic thump-thump-clap as a modern-day crowd that recognizes the song would, the audience performs the wave, and a teenage girl is shown in the stands performing a distinctly twentieth-century dance. At a banquet, Count Adhemar tries to trip up the unsophisticated "Sir Ulrich" by urging him to show the other guests a dance from his own country; William, who's only spent a couple of hours learning to dance that day before the banquet, improvises with Jocelyn and comes up with something suited to a rock video (the featured song in this scene was "Golden Years" by David Bowie).

Language is also borrowed from the present day. An extended metaphor involving hunting during William's first conversation with Jocelyn leads to his calling her a "foxy lady." The first time Chaucer introduces William at a competition, he ends with a comedy-club "Thank you, I'll be here all week" in response to the crowd's wild cheers. When Jocelyn defends herself during an argument with William by saying, "Better a silly girl with a flower than a silly boy with a horse and a stick," an offended Wat calls after her, "It's called a lance... hellooo?" In one shot the London Eye is shown.

Music[link]

The film, which notionally took place during the Middle Ages, is notable for its deliberate use of classic rock songs in its soundtrack. The ten that were credited in the movie are listed in order of appearance:^[2]

• "We Will Rock You" – Queen
• "Low Rider" – War
• "Takin' Care of Business" – Bachman–Turner Overdrive
• "Golden Years" – David Bowie
• "Further on Up the Road" – Eric Clapton
• "Get Ready" – Rare Earth
• "I Want to Take You Higher" – Sly and the Family Stone
• "The Boys Are Back in Town" – Thin Lizzy
• "You Shook Me All Night Long" – AC/DC
• "We Are the Champions" – Robbie Williams & Queen

Reception[link]

Initially the reception for this film was mixed, with complaints about the anachronisms (the classic rock music in a movie that takes place during the Middle Ages), the many jousting scenes and the thin plot. However, notable film critic Roger Ebert gave the film 3 stars out of a possible 4 and commented that "Some will say the movie breaks tradition by telling a medieval story with a soundtrack of classic rock. They might as well argue it breaks the rules by setting a 1970s rock opera in the Middle Ages. To them I advise: Who cares?" and that in this film the director "pointed out that an orchestral score would be equally anachronistic, since orchestras hadn't been invented in the 1400s."^[3] The aggregate review site Rotten Tomatoes rated the movie as being 59% fresh along with 80% approval from the audience. ^[4]

Newsweek revealed in June 2001 that print ads for at least four movies released by Columbia Pictures, including A Knight's Tale and The Animal (2001), contained glowing comments from a film reviewer who did not exist. The fake critic, David Manning, was created by a Columbia employee who worked in the advertising department. "Manning" was misrepresented as a reviewer for a newspaper in a small Connecticut town.

See also[link]

• List of historical drama films

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: A Knight's Tale

• A Knight's Tale at the Internet Movie Database
• A Knight's Tale at AllRovi
• A Knight's Tale at Rotten Tomatoes
• A Knight's Tale at Box Office Mojo

Red Jacket from an 1835 lithograph by Henry Corbould, after a painting by Charles Bird King, printed by Charles Joseph Hullmandel. Published in History of the Indian Tribes of North America.

Red Jacket (known as Otetiani in his youth and Sagoyewatha Sa-go-ye-wa-tha after 1780) (c. 1750–January 20, 1830) was a Native American Seneca orator and chief of the Wolf clan.^[1] He negotiated on behalf of his nation with the new United States after the American Revolutionary War, when the Seneca as British allies were forced to cede much land, and signed the Treaty of Canandaigua. He helped secure some Seneca territory in New York state. His talk on "Religion for the White Man and the Red" (1805) has been preserved as an example of his great oratorical style.

Life[link]

Red Jacket's birthplace has long been a matter of debate. Some historians claim he was born at the Old Seneca Castle near present-day Geneva, New York, near the foot of Seneca Lake.^[2] Others believe he was born near Cayuga Lake and present-day Canoga,^[3] while others place his birth south of Branchport, on Keuka Lake near the mouth of Basswood Creek.^[4][5] It is known that he spent much of his youth at Basswood Creek, and his mother was buried there after her death.

Red Jacket lived much of his adult life in Seneca territory in the Genesee River Valley. He and the Mohawk chief Joseph Brant were bitter enemies and rivals, although they often met together at the Iroquois Confederacy's Longhouse. During the American Revolutionary War, when both Iroquois nations were allies of the British, Brant contemptuously referred to Red Jacket as "cow killer", alleging that at the Battle of Newtown in 1779, Red Jacket killed a cow and used the blood to claim he had killed an American rebel.^[6]

President's House, Philadelphia. Red Jacket met with George Washington, and later John Adams, in the presidential mansion in Philadelphia, then the temporary national capital.

Red Jacket became famous as an orator, speaking for the rights of his people. He played a prominent role in negotiations with the new United States federal government after the war. In 1792 he led a delegation of 50 people to Philadelphia. The US president George Washington presented him with a special "peace medal", a large oval of silver plate engraved with an image of Washington on the right-hand side shaking Red Jacket's hand; below was inscribed "George Washington", "Red Jacket", and "1792". Red Jacket wore this medal on his chest in every portrait painted of him. (Today the medal is held in the collection of the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society.^[7]) In 1794, Red Jacket was a signatory, along with Cornplanter and fifty other Iroquois leaders, of the Treaty of Canandaigua by which they were forced to cede much of their land.^[8] It confirmed peace with the United States, as well as the boundaries of the postwar the Phelps and Gorham Purchase (1788) of most of the Seneca land east of the Genesee River in western New York.

The Publick Universal Friend and her Philadelphia Society of Friends were the first settlers region in 1790. Despite the pillaging of the Native River-Settlement in Ah-Wa-Ga Owego, New York, by generals Clinton & Sullivan, the Society made peace with the then wary Seneca tribe of the Iroquois. Most of the Seneca tribe, including Red Jacket, recognised the universal FRIEND as Chieftain. The Seneca Tribe made peace within the Finger Lakes but experienced hardship in the Genesee Region and other parts of Western New York.^[9]

In 1797, by the Treaty of Big Tree, Robert Morris purchased rights from the Seneca for $100,000 to some lands west of Genesee River. (This area is present-day Geneseo in Livingston County). Red Jacket had tried to prevent the sale but, not able to convince the other chiefs, he gave up his opposition. As often occurred, Morris used gifts of liquor to the Seneca men and trinkets to the women to "grease" the sale.^{[citation needed]} Morris had previously purchased the land from Massachusetts, subject to the Indian title, then sold it to the Holland Land Company for speculative development. He retained only the Morris Reserve, an estate near present-day Rochester. During the negotiations, Brant told an insulting story about Red Jacket, but Cornplanter intervened and prevented the leader from attacking and killing Brant.^[10]

Monument at Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Red Jacket took his name, one of several he used, for a highly favored embroidered coat given to him by the British for his wartime services.^[11] The Seneca were allied with the British Crown during the American Revolution, both because of long trading relationships and in the hope they could limit colonial encroachment on their territory. After their ally lost, the Seneca were forced to cede much of their territory. In the War of 1812, Red Jacket supported the American side.^[12]

His later adult name, Segoyewatha, which roughly translates as "he keeps them awake", was given by the Seneca about 1780 in recognition of his oratory skill. When in 1805 Mr. Cram, a New England missionary, asked to do mission work among the Seneca, Red Jacket responded expressing how the Seneca had suffered at the hands of Europeans. His "Religion for the White Man and the Red" further expressed his profound belief that Native American religion was fitting and sufficient for Seneca and Native American culture. It has been documented and preserved as one of the best examples of oratory.^[13]

Red Jacket developed a problem with alcohol and deeply regretted having taken his first drink (see following quote). Asked if he had children, Red Jacket, who had lost most of his offspring to illness, said:

"Red Jacket was once a great man, and in favor with the Great Spirit. He was a lofty pine among the smaller trees of the forest. But, after years of glory, he degraded himself by drinking the firewater of the white man. The Great Spirit has looked upon him in anger, and his lightning has stripped the pine of its branches."^[14]

In his later years, Segoyewatha lived in Buffalo, New York. On his death, his remains were buried in an Indian cemetery. In 1876, William C. Bryant presented a plan to the Council of the Seneca Nation to rebury Red Jacket's remains in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo.^[15] This was carried out on October 9, 1884. The proceedings, with papers by Horatio Hale, General Ely S. Parker, and others, were published (Buffalo, 1884).^[12]

According to Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography, "Several portraits were made of him. George Catlin painted him twice, Henry Inman once, and Robert W. Weir did his portrait in 1828, when Red Jacket was on a visit to New York City. Fitz-Greene Halleck has celebrated him in song."^[12]

Speech to the U.S. Senate[link]

This famous speech, also known as his talk on “Religion for the White Man and the Red”, is one example of his great skill as an orator. This speech came about in 1805 as a response to Jacob Cram, a New England missionary. On this day, the two differing sides met in Buffalo Creek, New York, to further discuss their religious beliefs. After meeting with the leaders of the Seneca delegation, Red Jacket provided a thought-out response representing his people as a whole. His address took the words of Cram, “There is but one religion, and but one way to serve God, and if you do not embrace the right way, you cannot be happy hereafter”, and peacefully argued each side should have the right to worship the religion that suits them best.

Clashing cultures[link]

Red Jacket’s “Speech to the U.S. Senate,” came about at a trying time for the Iroquois of present-day New York State. They were coping with the loss of their forefathers’ lands, as a result of the constant increase of European immigrants. As their numbers grew, the two peoples' opposing cultures became more and more apparent. This speech provides clear examples of how these cultures clashed on the subject of religious beliefs.

From the beginning Red Jacket made it clear that he and his people would not change their religious stance based on the white man’s word. He began, “It was the will of the Great Spirit that we should meet together this day. He orders all things, and has given us a fine day for our Council.” He proceeded to count all the blessings on the day, attributing them to the Great Spirit. “For all these favors we thank the Great Spirit, and Him only.”

Red Jacket’s response argued that his peoples’ beliefs were very like those of the missionary, differing only in the names of their omnipresent and almighty creator. Their creation stories were the same. “There was a time when our forefathers owned this great island. Their seats extended from the rising to the setting sun. The Great Spirit had made it for the use of Indians. He had created the buffalo, the deer, and other animals for food .... He had caused the earth to produce corn for bread. All this He had done for his red children, because He loved them.” The difference between the faiths involved not whether an almighty creator existed, but which faith was the truth and deserved to be followed.

Red Jacket's oration raised questions as to the legitimacy of the white man’s beliefs. “You say that you are sent to instruct us how to worship the Great Spirit agreeably to his mind, and, if we do not take hold of the religion which you white people teach, we shall be unhappy hereafter. You say that you are right and we are lost.” Iroquois "separatist" belief held that there is not necessarily one true religion for all people. Red Jacket acknowledged that the Americans’ religious beliefs are based on a sacred text, but stated, “If it was intended for us as well as you, why has not the Great Spirit given to us, and not only to us, but why did he not give to our forefathers, the knowledge of that book, with the means of understanding it rightly?”

In conclusion he urged the Senators to accept the existence of different forms of belief. “The Great Spirit has made us all, but He has made a great difference between his white and red children ... to you He has given the arts. To these He has not opened our eyes. We know these things to be true. Since He has made so great a difference between us in other things, why may we not conclude that he has given us a different religion according to our understanding? The Great Spirit does right. He knows what is best for his children; we are satisfied.” “We do not wish to destroy your religion, or take it from you. We only want to enjoy our own.”

Civility[link]

In his “Speech to the U.S. Senate”, Red Jacket was respectful and open-minded, though skeptical, regarding his visitors’ beliefs, hoping that his audience would respond similarly. “We have listened with attention to what you have said. You requested us to speak our minds freely. This gives us great joy; for we now consider that we stand upright before you, and can speak what we think.” He went on to reassure his audience he understood they were far from home, and would waste no time in giving them his answer.

On the relations between his people and the first white settlers to come to their land, he said, “They found friends and not enemies ... they asked for a small seat. We took pity on them, granted their request; and they sat amongst us. We gave them corn and meat; they gave us poison." He argued that it was wrong to portray his people as savages, when they had shown kindness but received in return only "poison" (hard liquor). Further, “Yet we did not fear them. We took them to be friends. They called us brothers. We believed them and gave them a larger seat ... they wanted more land; they wanted our country. Our eyes were opened, and our minds became uneasy.” “You have got our country, but are not satisfied; you want to force your religion upon us.” The white settlers' actions did not encourage belief in their religion. “How shall we know when to believe, being so often deceived by the white people?”

Red Jacket recognized that the white settlors' religion was beset with divisive controversies, unlike his peoples' own faith. “We also have a religion, which was given to our forefathers, and has been handed down to us their children. We worship in that way. It teaches us to be thankful for all the favors we receive; to love each other, and to be united. We never quarrel about religion.”

He concluded with cordial well-wishes for his visitors. “You have now heard our answer to your talk, and this is all we have to say at present. As we are going to part, we will come and take you by the hand, and hope the Great Spirit will protect you on your journey, and return you safe to your friends.”

Rhetoric[link]

Red Jacket's "Speech to the U.S. Senate" narrates his ability to use a distinct form of rhetoric that distinguishes the difference in religious tolerance between the Indians and United States citizens. Red Jacket's emotional appeal to the members of Senate, who he feels are neglecting the Indians right of religious freedom, is an example of his attempt to persuade his audience to recognize their fallacies. One of the most important attributes to this speech is the recurring mention of Great Spirit, who oversees both red and white man according to Red Jacket, and he proceeds to recognize those attributes.

The beginning of the speech states,"But we will first look back a little, and tell you what our fathers have told us, and what we have heard from the white people". Red Jacket is speaking here to the history of the relations which the white man have treated the red man on their native soil. A common occurrence from the white man in this day was to push the ways of Western society on to those who he deemed less fortunate. Red Jacket goes on to speak more specifically about the way religion has been forced upon the Indian people from the Americans. One of the predominant center pieces of this time period was the negative relationships between the two cultures, and religion was and still to this day is considered a sacred personal choice one individual makes. Although Red Jacket recognizes that religion is an individual right, he explains that the Indian belief system has been inherited just in the same way the Americans have been handed down the Bible and Christianity. His point is summarized in statement he makes regarding how both people come from a similar Great Spirit, yet it is just up to the beholder how he accepts religion. The forced inducement of Christianity on the Indians by the American people violated the liberties of both people. Red Jacket states, "You have now become a great people, and we have scarcely a place left to spread our blankets. You have got our country, but are not satisfied; you want to force your religion upon us". One recognizes the sense that the Indians have already lost so much, their religion is the last part of their identity in this land.

Red Jacket continues to identify the religious continuities that exist between both people with his elaboration on the Great Spirit. He states, "You say there is but one way to worship and serve the Great Spirit. If there is but one religion, why do you white people differ so much about it? Why not all agreed, as you can all read the book?". Red Jacket distinguishes the fallacies that exist between the Americans speech and their actions. If the Indians are being secularized for their religious beliefs, yet they believe in one ultimate Creator, just like the Americans, how can they be viewed as a lesser body? Red Jacket says they do not understand the Americans mission to eradicate the Indians based on religion, but Red Jacket sees the Americans as divided in their beliefs. However, he goes on to say that the Great Spirit is not one that can tear the two people apart but ultimately unite them in their ability to peacefully coexist.

Red Jacket's ability to distinguish this form of religious discussion was very favorable to his legacy in history. He argues the injustices of the cultural system in the time period but does not back away from recognizing their common cultural and religious beliefs.

Honors and legacy[link]

A variety of structures, ships and places were named in his honor, especially in the Finger Lakes region and Buffalo:

• A complex of dormitory buildings at the University at Buffalo
• Red Jacket Dining Hall at SUNY Geneseo.
• The Red Jacket Building, an apartment and commercial building in Buffalo.
• A memorial statue and Red Jacket Park are in Penn Yan, New York near Keuka Lake. The statue was sculpted by Michael Soles.
• Red Jacket Yacht Club, which lies on the western shores of Cayuga Lake.
• The Red Jacket clipper ship, which set the unbroken speed record from New York to Liverpool.^[1]
• A public school system, Red Jacket Central, which serves the communities of Manchester and Shortsville in Ontario County, New York.
• The Red Jacket Volunteer Fire Department, which serves the Town of Seneca Falls.
• A section of land on the Buffalo River (New York) is named "Red Jacket Peninsula". On the eastern bank of the river is the plaque containing a brief bio of Red Jacket and river history.
• Red Jacket Parkway in South Buffalo
• The Boy Scouts of America had a Red Jacket Council that included west of Rochester and Orleans County, New York, until 1943; it became part of Otetiana Council. In 2010 it merged with Finger Lakes Council to form Seneca Waterways Council.
• The community of Red Jacket in southern West Virginia, although the leader was not known to have had any connection to that region.^[16]

• 

  Red Jacket wearing the "Peace Medal" given to him by George Washington. Portrait by Charles Bird King, ca. 1828, Colby College Museum of Art.

• 

  The Trial of Red Jacket, by John Mix Stanley, 1869.

See also[link]

U.S. Constitution, Native American influence

Further reading[link]

• Graymont, Barbara, The Iroquois in the American Revolution, 1972, ISBN 0-8156-0083-6
• Robert G. Koch, "Red Jacket: Seneca Orator", Crooked Lake Review, March 1992

Footnotes[link]

References[link]

• Baym, Nina, Robert S. Levine, and Arnold Krupat. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Vol. A. New York: W. W. Norton &, 2007. Print.
• Stone, William L. Life and times of Red-Jacket, Or, Sa-go-ye-wat-ha: Being the Sequel to the History of the Six Nations. New York: Wiley and Putnam, 1841. Print.

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Red Jacket

• An Account of Sa-Go-Ye-Wat-Ha, or Red Jacket, and His People at Project Gutenberg by John Niles Hubbard
• Red Jacket on Religion for the White Man and Red, Audio from Greatest Speeches in History Podcast
• "Red Jacket on Religion for the White Man and the Red", Bartleby Website, text online
• "Red Jacket, noted Indian orator, colorful character", Wisconsin History
• Red Jacket at Find a Grave