Cherokee

Definition

The Cherokee are a Native American tribe originally from the southeastern United States, including parts of Alabama. They have a rich culture and history that pre-dates European colonization, and they played significant roles during the conflicts and changes brought on by European powers and later American expansion.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Cherokee were one of the most politically organized tribes in pre-Columbian Alabama, establishing a sophisticated system of governance.
2. During the French and British colonial period, the Cherokee allied with both powers at different times, navigating their interests for trade and security.
3. The Cherokee adopted many European customs while also maintaining their own traditions, showing a unique blend of cultures.
4. The Creek War was partly fueled by tensions between the Cherokee and Creek tribes over territory and resources in Alabama.
5. The removal of the Cherokee from their homelands was a tragic consequence of U.S. expansion policies in the early 19th century.

Review Questions

• How did the Cherokee tribe navigate their relationships with French and British colonizers in Alabama?
  • The Cherokee were strategic in forming alliances with both French and British colonizers during the 18th century. They engaged in trade with these European powers while also leveraging their position to maintain some degree of autonomy. The Cherokee's diplomatic skills allowed them to play one power against another, ensuring their interests were represented while trying to protect their lands and culture.
• Discuss how the events of the Creek War impacted the Cherokee community in Alabama.
  • The Creek War had significant repercussions for the Cherokee community, as it heightened tensions among Native American tribes competing for land and resources. The conflict resulted in shifting alliances, which affected the Cherokee's territorial claims and relationships with other tribes like the Creeks. Additionally, as American settlers gained confidence through victory in the war, they increasingly encroached on Cherokee lands, leading to further loss of territory and cultural disruption.
• Evaluate the long-term effects of European colonization on Cherokee society and identity from pre-Columbian times through removal.
  • European colonization had profound long-term effects on Cherokee society, initiating significant cultural changes as they adopted some European practices while struggling to preserve their own identity. The introduction of new trade goods transformed their economic systems, but this also made them vulnerable to manipulation by colonial powers. The eventual forced removal during the Trail of Tears decimated their population and disrupted their social structures, leading to a struggle for cultural survival that persists today as they continue to reclaim and revitalize their heritage.

Related terms

Trail of Tears: The forced relocation of the Cherokee Nation in 1838-1839, resulting in the death of thousands as they traveled from their ancestral lands in the southeastern U.S. to designated Indian Territory in present-day Oklahoma.

Sequoyah:

A Cherokee silversmith who created a written syllabary for the Cherokee language, enabling literacy and cultural preservation among the Cherokee people.

Creek Confederacy: A historical alliance of various Creek tribes that inhabited the southeastern U.S., which interacted and conflicted with the Cherokee as well as European settlers during colonization.