Chief Thayendanegea / Joseph Brant, a 2007 silver proof 1 dollar coin from Canada.

 

Two hundred years after his death, the Royal Canadian Mint honors the achievements of Chief Thayendanegea (1742-1807), a British military Captain during the American War of Independence and a chief of the Six Nations.

Born in Ohio during a tumultuous era that defined North America, Thayendanegea's life was greatly influenced by an alliance with the British. Thayendanegea was given the Christian name of Joseph Brant and received an English education. Brant fought his first battle with the British when he was just a teenager. But this young warrior was also a visionary. Brant clearly understood that Native people faced inevitable change and united various nations to protect their interests. When the American War of Independence ended (1783), he acted as statesman and negotiated land for the Six Nations people. He adopted a new culture without dishonouring his Native roots. Through his voice and his actions, Brant shaped much of Native Canada.