Cherokee And Indian Culture

The debate over the legality of sovereignty and acquired lands from the native Americans, specifically the Cherokee, has long been debated. The issues involved have included treaties, land sold, and the right of the Government to physically enforce their rules on Indian land "sovereignty". This paper will examine the strategy used by the Federal Governments, the State Governments as well as those of the Cherokee Indians. The three-way relationship as well as the issues will examine how the interpretation of the Constitution changed society prior to the year of 1840.

Cherokee Indians have been around for many years, but when the topic of Native Americans is discussed it is only about the struggles and hardships they went through but never their actual culture of how and where they originated or how they came to be. There are many interesting things to learn about Cherokee Indians such as their heritage, religion, language, and their traditional songs, dances, and food.

To begin with, the Cherokee tribe was one of the three primary Native American tribes in South Carolina that called themselves “the real people.” Upward in the mountains, they lived in these villages called “longhouses.” For the girls, their daily lives consisted of doing work in the field, planting and hoeing corn, then harvesting it. On the other hand, the boy’s daily lives consisted of being taught to fish and hunt. Their food was examples of fruits, nuts, corn, pole beans, squash, pumpkins, bottle gourds, and tobacco. Next, the Catawba tribe was another one of the three primary Native American tribes in South Carolina that called themselves the “river people. They used Carolina clay to make their pottery which they were known for. The Catawba dwellers lived in villages that had an open rounding on the top. The Catawbas were primarily farmers because every day they planted crops by the river, fished and hunted. Therefore, the Yemassee tribe was the third primary tribe in South Carolina that was from Spanish Florida. Throughout the summer, they lived on a beach, staying in Wigwams concealed in palmetto leaves. However, during the fall, winter, and spring they stayed in wattle and daub homes with a roof of leaves like the Cherokee. Every day they would eat clams which were part of their diet and equip the land for crops. Women were obligated for child rearing, making clothes, and served food and the men congregated the rest of the food in fishing and hunting.

The Cherokee tribe is known as one of the earliest and largest Indian tribe in North America. They are federally recognized even today among several states(museum). While they slowly became Americanized by the Europeans who came over to America, some still practice their typical Indian rituals publicly today. Most converted to Christianity and their government in Oklahoma is based off the American government with three branches. One would believe that the Trail of Tears could have completely vanquished these Indians but many made it through the horrendous trial and kept the Indian bloodline going even present day (Conley).

Did you know the word cherokee means those who “live in the mountains. The cherokee were very superstitious. ”The beliefs, culture and history of the cherokee tribe can easily be seen in “How the World Was Made.”

die. The Red Chief was also in charge of the lacrosse games which were called

In the 1800’s tensions were rising between the whites and Indians over land. One of the Indian tribes called the Cherokee would be forced to leave their land due to a law passed by Congress called the Indian Removal Act, which detailed the relocation of Indian tribes to a new territory. Because of the law being passed, The Cherokee nation decided to make a strong case to the United States court for keeping their land in Georgia and North Carolina. In their plea to the government, the Cherokee people focused preserving the land of their ancestors and reminding the United States government, they were an independent nation whose rights should be protected under the law.

When settlers first came in from Europe, there was no conflict. The Cherokee allowed interactions with the new inhabitants through simple trading, deerskin for household goods. Their tools, like guns, opened up life with better efficiency for hunting than bows and arrows. This trading built the base for their trust and respect for one another. The Cherokee began assisting the Whites with their transition to the new lands, consistently providing resources that were valuable to their own people. For a while, the Cherokee and Americans had a strong alliance, giving recognition to each other’s culture. However, the Caucasians gradually began to take advantage of the hospitality they generously shared. Eventually, the abundant amount of agreements

Around the 1800s, the Cherokee began taking up the economics and politics of the white settlers around them. Some owned plantations and even kept slaves. Many Cherokee’s embraced “white” names. They developed gradually and became one of the successful tribes in the United States. They form a system by which they were controlled called the Cherokee Nation, which was similar to the United States of America government, which included a Chief , a vice-Chief and 32 Council members. A constitution of code laws also in place. The principal chief is the equivalent to the President, the legislative branch of the tribal council to the supreme court and the house of representatives, and the judicial branch called the tribunal is made up of the three tribal

`The Cherokee Indians were a very modern group of Native Americans; they had successfully blended into the American way of life. For example, they made their government like the American way, translated the Bible, and even used American rules for owning property. Life for the Cherokee nation seemed to be going well, but in 1832 they would have to fight for their land. Gold was discovered in Georgia, so Georgians wanted to force the Cherokee Indians out, so they would have more gold. The Cherokee Indians fought in a nonviolent way; they sued. “In Worcester v. Georgia (1832), which followed a similar case from the ear before, Cherokee, Georgia, the Supreme Court ruled that the Cherokee nation was a sovereign nation and that the state of Georgia

Most of the displaced Cherokee walked west on the roads, although some went by boat. Rounded up into assembly centers, sent to emigration depots, and then herded west, most Cherokee followed the overland route of Lieutenant B.B. Cannon. Cannon led a group of Cherokee who voluntarily relocated west in 1837. Armed soldiers flushed the Cherokee out of their homes and stripped them of valuable possessions. Tightly packed in holding centers, they found that food and water were scarce and disease and death were common. From those assembled at Rattlesnake Springs, for example, 13 organized detachments made the journey west. While most walked, the infirm and mothers with young children traveled in wagons. Space was limited because food, blankets, and other supplies occupied most of the room. Those who were still alive five months later found

     Before the first known contacts, life of the Cherokee nation had grown and thrived for many years in the southeastern United States in the lower Appalachian Mountains in states such as: Georgia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, and parts of Kentucky and Alabama. However, the first recorded contact with outsiders was Hernado De Soto in his expedition of 1540, in search of gold throughout the Cherokee county (Martin). Mr. Soto found no trace of gold and returned empty handed. The Spanish explorers noticed the Cherokee village they encountered was practically deserted. Many of the tribes would flee from the sight of the unknown. About 100 years later, Abraham Wood, a Virginian, sent two men, James Needham and Gabriel Arthur in 1673 to establish trade (Martin). One of the traders begun to establish his home among the Cherokee Indians, which didn’t last for long before he was killed. Even though many explorers tried to establish trades, life of the traditional Cherokee remained unchanged as late as 1710, which is marked as the beginning of Cherokee trade with the whites (Trail of Tears). The white mans influential politics came slowly through Cherokee Country, but dramatic. From the period 1540-1786, white expansion was taking place and

Cherokee Indians was a powerful detached tribe of the inroquoian family they were under formerly holding the whole mountain region. ln the southwest Virginia in the western North Carolina, and South Carolina, north Georgia, East Tennessee, and northeast Alabama, and they caiming even to the Ohio river.the Cherokee nation from its earliest appearance in historical records was in 1540. The Cherokee Indians tribe has existed for over 200 years that full Blood bilingual leaders occuply the top positions of the Cherokee nation. The Cherokee were know for speaking the language call iroqouian and for living in southeastern United States principally Georgia , Tennessee , North Carolina and South Carolina.

The Cherokee was one of the many native american tribes that was affected by the arrival of the europeans and colonization. The Cherokee culture was a typical culture like any other native american tribe. They spoke the language that is known as Tsalagi. They harvested beans, corn and squash most commonly known to Cherokee as “The Three Sisters”. They also had their own ways of doing things such as their own philosophy and hunting style. The Cherokee philosophy is known as “the right way” which is trying to find peace and harmony in every part of their life. Their hunting weapons included blow guns, bow and arrows and spears, which is mostly weapons that can be made instantly.When they hunt game and kill an animal they apologize to the animal’s spirit that has just been slain. The traditional Cherokee method of healing was also an important part of Cherokee culture that involved more than just medicine but also traditional Cherokee rituals. The Cherokee’s culture was greatly affected by colonization because many of the important aspects of their culture changed.This can be proven from an excerpt from americanhistory.com which states”As British and French colonial aspirations began to clash, the Cherokee became increasingly important as a buffer and continued to alternate alliances between the two nations” This is explaining the spark of a war that was known as the French and Indian war which defied the Cherokee philosophy completely.Due to colonization the Cherokee were now

Beliefs; how did they come to be? Beliefs have come from many stories and myths. They believed that a bird made mountains. They did many things based on their stories and still do. There story was based off of animals creating the land and before that they lived under the sea. The culture, beliefs, and history of the Cherokee tribe can easily be seen in the Ḧow the World was Made.