Cherokee

Cherokee
Name	Cherokee
Region	Southeastern United States; Oklahoma
Languages	Cherokee language
Related	Muscogee (Creek) people, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole (tribe), Iroquois Confederacy

Cherokee The Cherokee are an Indigenous people historically associated with the southeastern woodlands of what is now the United States, with later large communities in present-day Oklahoma and urban centers such as Tulsa, Oklahoma and Atlanta. Their historical trajectory intersects major events and institutions including the Indian Removal Act and the Trail of Tears, and figures such as John Ross and Sequoyah shaped political and cultural responses. The nation produced a syllabary, sustained town-based societies like those at Etowah Indian Mounds and engaged with European colonial powers including Spain, France, and Great Britain.

History

Cherokee ancestral development involved interaction with Mississippian-period centers such as Moundville Archaeological Site and Etowah Indian Mounds, followed by contact-era diplomacy with Jamestown, Charleston, and colonial administrations of South Carolina and Georgia (U.S. state). In the 18th century leaders including Attakullakulla and Dragging Canoe negotiated alliances and conflicts with British Empire and United States authorities, fought in regional wars like the French and Indian War, and adapted to pressures from settlers. The 19th century saw legal and political struggles culminating in the Worcester v. Georgia decision, the administration of Andrew Jackson, forced removal under the Indian Removal Act and the ensuing Trail of Tears migrations to lands administered after the Treaty of New Echota. During the American Civil War many Cherokee were split between allegiances to the Union (American Civil War) and the Confederate States of America, involving leaders such as Stand Watie. Reconstruction era treaties with the United States and policies of allotment under Dawes Act and the Curtis Act reshaped landholding, while 20th-century reforms and federal institutions like the Bureau of Indian Affairs influenced tribal reorganization.

Language and Writing

The Cherokee language is an Iroquoian language distinct from neighboring Muskogean tongues like Choctaw and Muscogee (Creek) people. In 1821 a syllabary was developed by Sequoyah, which enabled publishing of newspapers such as the Cherokee Phoenix and literacy campaigns in the capital at New Echota. Scholarly work on phonology and orthography has been conducted at institutions including the University of Oklahoma and Dartmouth College, and revitalization initiatives involve programs at Cherokee Nation schools, immersion programs in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and digital projects partnering with organizations such as the Smithsonian Institution. Language preservation interacts with federal recognition processes administered by Bureau of Indian Affairs and supports cultural programming at museums like the Museum of the Cherokee Indian.

Society and Culture

Traditional Cherokee society centered on town clusters with ceremonial grounds at plazas near sites like Moundville Archaeological Site; social organization included matrilineal clans and kin-based councils led by figures comparable to those in other nations such as the Iroquois Confederacy. Artistic traditions encompass basketry practiced across communities in North Carolina and Oklahoma, pottery styles studied by archaeologists at Cherokee Heritage Center, and music and dance maintained through events hosted by nations including Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Literary contributions include newspapers such as the Cherokee Phoenix and modern works by authors who draw on community life. Cultural revitalization involves collaborations with universities like University of Tennessee and federal programs tied to the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Government and Political Organization

Pre-removal governance featured town councils and leaders such as chiefs and war captains who engaged with colonial officials in places like Charleston and Savannah, Georgia. In the 19th century a constitutional government centered at New Echota adopted institutions modeled in part on United States state systems under leaders including John Ross. Post-removal reorganizations produced federally recognized entities including Cherokee Nation, United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians, and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians with constitutions, elected officials, and departments that interact with agencies like the Department of the Interior. Tribal courts have addressed sovereignty and jurisdictional matters in cases influenced by precedents such as Worcester v. Georgia and subsequent federal legislation including the Indian Reorganization Act.

Economy and Subsistence

Historically subsistence combined horticulture of maize, beans, and squash with hunting and fishing across environments from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Tennessee River basin. Trade networks extended to colonial ports such as Savannah, Georgia and interior exchange routes used during the era of the Old Southwest. In the 19th and 20th centuries economic adaptation included ranching, small-scale agriculture, and participation in commodity markets centered on cities like Memphis, Tennessee and New Orleans. Contemporary economies among nations incorporate enterprises including gaming regulated under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, cultural tourism at sites like the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, and partnerships with corporations and universities such as Oklahoma State University.

Religion and Belief Systems

Traditional spiritual practices involved ceremonies at stomp grounds and medicine societies, seasonal observances tied to agricultural cycles, and cosmologies shared with neighboring nations such as the Iroquois Confederacy. Christian denominations including Methodist Church (United States), Baptist Convention, and Roman Catholic Church have influenced community religion through missions and revivals in the 18th and 19th centuries. Syncretic practices and cultural preservation efforts are supported by institutions like the Cherokee Heritage Center and scholarship from departments at University of North Carolina.

Contemporary Issues and Demographics

Modern Cherokee populations are concentrated in regions including Northeast Oklahoma, Western North Carolina, and urban centers such as Atlanta and Chicago. Contemporary issues address federal recognition administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, enrollment disputes involving criteria similar to those adjudicated by Supreme Court of the United States cases, healthcare disparities addressed by the Indian Health Service, and cultural preservation supported by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. Community leaders and scholars collaborate with institutions like Harvard University and Smithsonian Institution on language revitalization, legal advocacy occurs through law firms experienced in Indian law and litigation before the Supreme Court of the United States, and economic development includes enterprises such as tribal-owned casinos regulated under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and educational partnerships with tribal colleges.

Category:Native American peoples