in the three months before the bill passed, treaties were written at washington with the delaware, otoe, kickapoo, kaskaskia, shawnee, sac, fox and other tribes, where the biggest part of eastern kansas, which was within one or two hundred miles of the missouri border, was suddenly opened to white settlement. (the kansa reservation had already been made smaller by treaty in 1846.) on march 15, 1854, otoe and missouri indians gave all their lands west of the mississippi, except a small strip on the big blue river, to the united states. on may 6 and may 10, 1854, the shawnees gave away , keeping only for homes. also on may 6, 1854, the delaware gave all their lands to the united states, except a reservation defined in the treaty. on may 17, the iowa gave away their lands, keeping only a small reservation. on may 18, 1854, the kickapoo also gave away their lands, except in the western part of the territory. in 1854 lands were also given by the kaskaskia, peoria, piankeshaw and wea and by the sac and fox.