On September 17, 1778, the United States of America signed its first known formal treaty with an Indian nation, the Delawares, giving a signal of mutual recognition and friendship. This treaty was concluded at Fort Pitt, Pennsylvania, and provided for an alliance between the United States and the Delawares. The treaty’s final article (Article VI) stated that Indians friendly to the United States would be permitted to form a state of the Union, with the Delawares at their head, subject to certain conditions. It is not clear whether the United States was planning to honor this treaty clause, especially since the Continental Congress still lacked a constitution and did not have the legal power to create a new state. However, the fact that such a treaty was even made indicated the status and influence accorded to the Delaware Indians in spite of the decline of their numerical strength. The negotiation and signing of the Treaty of Fort Pitt also reflected the need of the United States for allies and the military importance of the native nations.