Before the American War for Independence, the Shawnees lived in Ohio, hunted in Kentucky, and ranged as far as Georgia, Missouri, and Pennsylvania. With an uncanny ability to form alliances with others, they developed a well-deserved reputation for being loyal friends and formidable foes. Leaders like Blue Jacket, Black Hoof, and Tecumseh defended Shawnee homelands for more than 60 years. But America's westward surge ultimately proved too much. And when Tecumseh fell in battle, the Shawnees' final hope for independence died with him.