LANGUAGE

• Cherokee is an Iroquoian language. Thought to be

acquired through Theory 2.
• Spoken with different dialects.
• North Carolina: Kituhwa Dialect
• Oklahoma: Atali Dialect

Fig. 17. Cherokee Alphabet

Source: cherokeebyblood.com “Cherokee Language”
 INDIAN REMOVAL ACT
• Happened in the early 1830s.
• President Andrew Jackson (7th
president) signed the Act.
• Forced Native Americans east
of the Mississippi to give up
their lands and move West to
(Indian Territory).

Fig. 18. President Andrew Jackson

Source: history.com “Andrew Jackson”
 INDIAN REMOVAL ACT

• Jackson was suppose to go about the

process fairly and peacefully by law. He
didn’t.
• 1835- Cherokee Proposed the Treaty of
New Echota.
• Government couldn’t resist the deal.

Fig. 19. Indian Removal Act

Source: tes.com “Copy of Indian Removal Act”
 “TRAIL OF TEARS”

• More than 1,200 miles.

• From Southeastern United States(NC,
SC, Georgia, Florida, etc.) to Oklahoma.
• Order of removal
• Choctaw (1831)
• Seminole (1832)
• Creek (1834)
• Chickasaw (1837)
• Cherokee (1838) Fig. 20. Trail of Tears
Source: mrsericksonhistory.weebly.com “Indian Removal - Station
Activity”
 DEVASTATION ON THE “TRAIL”

• Illness
• Whooping cough
• Typhus
• Dysentery
• Cholera
• Starvation
Fig. 21. Trail of Tears
Source: sites.google.com “The Indian Removal Act/The Trail of Tears”

• More than 5,000 Cherokee died on the path to Indian Territory.

 CHEROKEE TODAY

Three Federally Recognized Tribes

• Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma

• United Keetoowah Band of
Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma
• Eastern Band of Cherokee

Fig. 22. Cherokee Tribes

Source: twitter.com “Geography Now”
 CHEROKEE NATION

• Northeastern 14 counties of Oklahoma.

• Direct descendent of the Tribal
Government that ruled the Southeast.
• Fought with the Confederate Army.
• No official blood requirement.

Fig. 23. Cherokee Nation Seal

Source: clevelandbanner.com “Cherokee returning to Red Clay for Tri-
Council”
 UKB

• Tahlequah, Oklahoma.
• No official land.
• ¼ Cherokee Blood Requirement.
• Can not be a member of UKB and
Cherokee Nation.
• Fought with the Union Army.

Fig. 24. United Keetoowah Band Seal

Source: clevelandbanner.com “Cherokee returning to Red Clay for Tri-
Council”
 EASTERN BAND

• Cherokee, North Carolina.

• Qualla Boundary
• Purchased in 1840s.
• Recognized in 1866.

• 1/16 Blood requirement

Fig. 25. Eastern Band Seal

Source: clevelandbanner.com “Cherokee returning to Red Clay for
Tri-Council”
 EASTERN BAND GOVERNMENT

• Have their own government system.

• Executive Branch: Principle Chief
and Vice-Chief
• Legislative Branch: 12 member
council; 2 reps from each of the 6
townships.
• Judicial Branch
Fig. 26. Tribal Council
Source: theonefeather.com “New Council takes seats, passes six
resolutions”
 CULTURE

• Known for basket weaving.

• Rivers and Streams are sacred
• Cougar and owl are sacred animals
• Believe in spirits: ghosts and “little people”
• Long Bows and Spears for battle and hunting
• Allies: British, fought on both sides of the Civil
War
• Enemies: Catawba, Chickasaw, Choctaw,
Iroquois, Delaware, Seneca, Creek, Osage,
Seminoles

Fig. 27. Sacred Water

Source: pinterest.com “Explore Native Americans and
more”
 POW WOW

• Each tribe celebrates and participates

in an annual Pow Wow.
• There’s food, music, dancing, arts and
crafts, etc.

Fig. 28. Cherokee Pow Wow

Source: arklahoma.blogspot.com “Over 100,000 Expected at Cherokee
Holiday”
VIDEO OF CHEROKEE POW WOW

https://youtu.be/HhsLLEHWong
 CHEROKEE NOW

Cherokee culture still thrives today, despite dramatic history of migrations and wars.

Figs. 29-31. Seals of Cherokee Tribes

Source: clevelandbanner.com “Cherokee returning to Red Clay for Tri-Council”
 REFERENCES
Barton, Benjamin Smith. New Views on the Origin of the Tribes and Nations of America. Philadelphia: John
Bioren, 1797

Parker, Andrew C. “The Origin of the Iroquois as Suggested by Their Archaeology.” American Anthropologist
volume 18, no. 4 (1916): 479-507

Anderson, William L. and Ruth Y. Wetmore. “Cherokee.” Ncpedia.com. January 1, 2006.

https://www.ncpedia.org/cherokee/revolutionarywar

Evans, J.P. “Manner of Cherokee Dress.” Accessed March 31, 2018. http://www.cherokee.org/About-The-
Nation/Culture/General/Manner-of-Cherokee-Dress

Howard, Krissy. “The Ancient Moon-Eyed People Of North Carolina: Fact Or Fiction?” allthatsinteresting.com.
January 10, 2017

Whyte, Thomas R. "Proto-Iroquoian Divergence in the Late Archaic-Early Woodland Period Transition of the
Appalachian Highlands." Southeastern Archaeology 26, no. 1 (2007): 134-44.
http://www.jstor.org.librarylink.uncc.edu/stable/40713422

Starr, Emmet. History of the Cherokee Indians and their Legends and Folk Lore. Oklahoma City, OK: The Warden
Company, 1921; New York, Kraus Reprint.

Carr, Karen. “Cherokee houses and Cherokee architecture – Native Americans.” Quart.us. August 7, 2017.
https://quatr.us/nativeamerican/cherokee-architecture-native-americans.htm

Alchin, Linda. "History of the Trail of Tears." Trail of Tears Facts. January 16, 2018. Accessed April 18, 2018.
https://www.warpaths2peacepipes.com/history-of-native-americans/trail-of-tears-facts.htm.

History.com Staff. "Trail of Tears." History.com. 2009. Accessed April 18, 2018. https://www.history.com/topics/native-
american-history/trail-of-tears.

"Cherokee Lands | Cherokee NC | Cherokee North Carolina | Blue Ridge National Heritage Area." Blue Ridge Mountains
in North Carolina. Accessed April 18, 2018. http://www.blueridgeheritage.com/heritage/cherokee/cherokee-lands.

"Qualla Boundary." Qualla Boundary | NCpedia. 2006. Accessed April 18, 2018. https://www.ncpedia.org/qualla-
boundary.