Plucking the Eagle's Wings

The Zero Cycle and the Deaths of American Presidents

The first president to die in office (elected in a zero year) was William Henry Harrison. By the time Harrison became president, most of the Indians had been reduced to poverty, their hunting lands had already been carved up by the new farmers in their midst, and they were regularly victimized by traders. Harrison had added more than fifty million acres to the public lands" (Source: The Presidents, Bill Harris). Harrison, born in Virginia, became the governor of Indiana. For years, he dealt with the Indians and purchased their lands on behalf of the government. Among Harrison's contacts were a highly respected Shawnee Indian named the Prophet and his brother Tecumseh. Harrison considered the Prophet to be cunning and unreliable, so he negotiated with Tecumseh on several occasions. Harrison was careful in his negotiations because he did not want the Indians to ever side with the British. Tippecanoe served as the Shawnee capital much like Washington, D.C. served as America's capital. When tension rose between the Indians and the white men, Harrison had a stockade built and christened it Fort Harrison. Hostilities were brewing, but Tecumseh advised his brother not to attack until their Indian confederation was stronger. However, the Prophet ordered an attack just before daybreak. It took place on November 7, 1811, and it was a fatal battle for the Shawnees. The presidential elections were held in November and, in some years, the election fell on the seventh of the month (including the election of 2000). Harrison was known as the Indian fighter when he ran on the Whig party ticket in 1840. On May 29, 1840, over 30,000 Harrison supporters conducted a massive rally near Tippecanoe, drinking hard cider and eating roast beef. The event reminded everyone of Harrison's defeat of the hated Indians. The publicity helped his campaign and he eventually won the White House. Oddly, Harrison died a month after assuming the presidency, which some think was a result of a curse placed upon him by Tecumseh. The white men commonly gave the Indians whiskey, causing them to get drunk. The Prophet denounced this action and told the Indians to refrain from drinking the whiskey. Even today, alcoholism is a problem among the Native American Indians. The Bible gives a specific warning to those who give their neighbors strong drink or alcohol: 121