The Cherokee Indians are a Native American tribe from the southeastern United States. The Cherokee were one of the ‘Five Civilized Tribes,’ along with the Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole. European settlers referred to these tribes as ‘civilized’ because they had adopted many of the settlers’ customs and ways of life.
The Cherokee were originally from North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama. They were a well-organized and advanced society with a complex government system and a written language. Cherokee were skilled farmers and traders who established large towns and villages.
The Cherokee were forced to leave their ancestral lands and move west to what is now Oklahoma by the United States government in the early 1800s. Thousands of Cherokee people died as a result of this forced removal, known as the Trail of Tears.
Following their removal, the Cherokee established a new government and worked to rebuild their society in Oklahoma. In the late 1800s, the Cherokee began to adopt white settlers’ ways, such as private property ownership and a market economy.
The Cherokee Nation, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians are the three federally recognized Cherokee tribes in the United States today. With over 370,000 tribal members, the Cherokee Nation is the largest tribe in the United States. The Cherokee continue to uphold their cultural traditions and heritage, and they play an important role in American cultural and political life.
Early European Contact with Hernando de Soto
When the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto arrived in the southeastern United States in the early 16th century, the Cherokee Indians had their first contact with European explorers. De Soto and his men were the first Europeans to make contact with the Cherokee, ushering in a long and complicated relationship between the two groups.
De Soto and his men arrived in the Cherokee homeland in 1540, at the height of the tribe’s power and influence. The Cherokee were skilled farmers and traders who had built a sophisticated society. The Cherokee welcomed De Soto and his men, and they spent several weeks living among them, trading goods and learning about Cherokee culture.
However, the Cherokee’s relationship with the Europeans quickly deteriorated. De Soto and his men were ruthless conquerors who showed disrespect and cruelty to the Cherokee. The Europeans demanded food and supplies from the Cherokee, and they frequently used force to obtain what they desired. As a result of the tension and conflict between the two groups, the Cherokee eventually drove the Europeans out of their territory.
Despite their hostile first encounter, the Cherokee and Europeans maintained contact in the years that followed. The Cherokee played an important role in European colonization of the Americas, acting as intermediaries and trading partners for the settlers. However, this relationship was frequently strained, and the Cherokee were eventually forced to cede their lands to Europeans and relocate west. Thousands of Cherokee people died as a result of this forced removal, known as the Trail of Tears.
Introduction to Christianity
European missionaries introduced Christianity to Cherokee Indians in the 18th and 19th centuries. Moravians, a German Protestant sect, were the first missionaries to contact the Cherokee. In the 1740s, the Moravians arrived in Cherokee territory and established a mission among the tribe.
The Cherokee were initially open to Moravian teachings, and many of them converted to Christianity. However, acceptance of the new religion was not universal, and some tribe members were opposed to it. The Cherokee maintained their traditional beliefs and customs alongside Christianity, and many of them combined the two religions.
More missionaries, including Baptists and Methodists, arrived in Cherokee territory in the nineteenth century. These missionaries were more zealous in their efforts to convert Cherokees, and they frequently clashed with the tribe over religious and cultural differences. The missionaries also played a role in the forced removal of Cherokee from their ancestral lands, assisting the US government’s efforts to relocate the tribe to Oklahoma.
Despite the difficulties they faced, the Cherokee maintained their Christian faith, which is still an important part of their culture and heritage today. Many Cherokee people attend Christian churches, and the tribe has a long history of religious devotion and faith.
Impact of Treaties with the United States Government
Treaties with the United States government had a significant impact on the Cherokee Indian tribe. The Cherokee were one of the ‘Five Civilized Tribes,’ along with the Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole. European settlers referred to these tribes as ‘civilized’ because they had adopted many of the settlers’ customs and ways of life.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Cherokee signed a number of treaties with the United States government. The Cherokee were often forced to cede large portions of their lands to the United States in exchange for promises of protection and support. These promises, however, were frequently broken, leaving the Cherokee to deal with the consequences of the treaties on their own.
The Treaty of New Echota, signed in 1835, was one of the most important treaties signed by the Cherokee. The Cherokee were forcibly relocated from their ancestral lands in the southeastern United States to what is now Oklahoma as a result of this treaty. Thousands of Cherokee people died as a result of this forced removal, known as the Trail of Tears.
Even after their removal to Oklahoma, the Cherokee continued to sign treaties with the US government. These treaties frequently resulted in the loss of additional Cherokee lands and contributed to the tribe’s loss of sovereignty and autonomy. Despite these difficulties, the Cherokee have survived and continue to preserve their cultural traditions and heritage.
Cherokee Nation’s Government
The Cherokee Nation’s government was established in response to the tribe’s challenges and changes in the 18th and 19th centuries.
The Cherokee Nation adopted a new constitution in the late 1800s that established a representative government modeled after the United States. The new government was led by a principal chief elected by the tribe’s members, as well as a tribal council made up of elected representatives from each of the tribe’s districts.
The Cherokee Nation is now a self-governing nation with its own government and laws. The tribe continues to uphold its cultural traditions and heritage, and it plays an important role in American cultural and political life.
Notable Cherokee Indians
Throughout history, there have been many famous and notable Cherokee Indians. Among the most well-known Cherokee are:
Sequoyah was a Cherokee silversmith who created the Cherokee syllabary, a written language for the Cherokees. This remarkable accomplishment enabled the Cherokee to preserve their culture and heritage, and it is still an important part of their history.
Wilma Mankiller was the Cherokee Nation’s first female Principal Chief. She was a well-respected leader who worked to improve the Cherokee people’s lives and promote their rights and interests.
During the 18th century, Nancy Ward was a Cherokee leader and warrior who fought against European settlers. Her people referred to her as ‘Beloved Woman’ and she was instrumental in bringing peace between the Cherokee and the settlers.
Sequoyah Simermeyer is the Cherokee Nation’s current Principal Chief. He is a respected leader and advocate for Cherokee rights and interests, and he works to preserve and promote Cherokee culture and heritage.
Will Rogers was a Cherokee citizen who rose to prominence as an actor, writer, and political commentator in the early twentieth century. He was a beloved figure in American culture, known for his wit and humor.
Marcellus Chivington was a Cherokee-descended Confederate soldier who served during the American Civil War. He was known for his bravery and military prowess, and he went down in history as one of the most celebrated Cherokee warriors.
