The Cherokee Tribals

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 Sioux and Chippewa Indian tribes’ have a drastically different way of living compared to what other people are accustomed to in terms of their history, clothing, tools, and weapons needed for survival. The Sioux Indians were originally from Asia, but migrated to America about 30,000 years ago. Their long, straight jet-black hair resembles that of the Asian descendants. The Sioux tribes were located in The Great Plains, which consists of 7 different states Minnesota, Wisconsin, North and South Dakota; however, they were also known to live in parts of Nebraska, Illinois, and Montana. “The name Sioux is an abbreviation of Nadouessioux. (Britannica) The name was given to them by the Ojibwa (Chippewa). Sioux means, “Little snake”. The Sioux tended to follow the pattern of the buffalo, which is why they are found in multiple locations.

In this paper I will discuss the history of the Cherokee Indians in the United States. First by describing the tribes pre-Columbian history to include the settlement dates and known cultural details. Then a brief description of the cultural and religious beliefs of the tribe will be given, as well as the tribe’s history after contact with settlers. Finally discussing John Ross, who he was and how he affected the Cherokee Indians.

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.”

Often time’s couples marry only to find out that they have a difference of opinion or one spouse has caused serious marital strain on the other. Since the Iroquois couples lived matrilineally, this makes it easier for the woman to dissolve the marriage, keep her children and continue to live at home with her family. “If a woman no longer desired to be married to her husband, all she had to do was pack up her husband’s belongings and leave them on the steps of the longhouse. When he came home, the husband would find them, realize his wife had terminated the marriage, and return to his home village and his own patrilineage.” (Nowak, B. & Laird, P. 2010 chapter 4.5 Divorce) In the American culture it is more difficult to obtain a divorce.

In the early 1800s the Cherokee started their own Cherokee Nation. Some of these Cherokees did not like the fact that white people were invading their land and decided to move out to the west and start their own society. The reason why the white people were coming onto Cherokee land is because of all the gold that is there. The whites began to make friends with the Cherokee so they could get some of the gold. Later the white people decided it was time that the Cherokee people need to be eliminated from the area. This lead to the Cherokee losing their land, farms, and their houses. President Andrew Jackson was the one who caused the removal of the Cherokee people.

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

`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

Chelsea Carriere Professor Ferruccio Trabalzi Introduction to Anthropology October 13, 2015 The Seven Clans of the Cherokee With over 314,000 recorded members, the Cherokee Nation is the largest federally recognized Native American tribe in the United States. In ancient times, this tribe was just as formidable, having conquered over 135,000 square miles of territory throughout eight states; North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia. Much of the traditional culture remains the same in today’s world though some things have evolved out of necessity to fit modern society (Reese). Despite some of these changes however, the Cherokee nation is working hard to preserve their native traditions

Removed Cherokees initially settled near Tahlequah, Oklahoma. When signing the Treaty of New Echota in 1835 Major Ridge said "I have signed my death warrant." The resulting political turmoil led to the killings of Major Ridge, John Ridge, and Elias Boudinot; of the leaders of the Treaty Party, only Stand Watie escaped death.[47][48][49] The population of the Cherokee Nation eventually rebounded, and today the Cherokees are the largest American Indian group in the United States.[50]

After the Revolutionary War the Cherokee Nation '"'placed itself under the protection of the United States and agreed to specified boundaries for its territory'"'

The Cherokee nation has been entwined in American history since the discovery of Columbus. From fighting against the Americans in the Revolutionary War to being forced onto the Trail of Tears in the 1800s, from fighting for their land to their large growth in Oklahoma, the Cherokee has had a long and hard existence. They have influenced American politics and culture for many years. Throughout their vast history, the Cherokee have been a great point of culture and tradition in America.

My tribe the Cherokee Indians lived in Nashville, Tennessee in 1838 (Perdue). It is from this area that I was forced from my home along with my family. The white man known as the government were the ones forcing my tribe from our sacred land. The white man marched my family and tribe by foot from Tennessee to Oklahoma. On this march many of my people died. The pain I faced along with the other thousands of my people is the reason many Indians call the march from Tennessee to Oklahoma the Trail of Tears. Here is my story, about the heartache I felt along this Trail of Tears.