Cherokee: A Native American Tribe in North America - Research Paper

Introduction

The North American Indians, specifically from the Iroquoian lineage, are commonly referred to as the Cherokee. It featured one of the tribes which had extensive political integrations at the time when the Europeans had colonized the Americas. This name is derived from Creek, meaning "people of different speech." Some prefer to be referred to as Keetoowah or Tsalagi. Traditionally, the life and culture of this tribe were quite similar to that of the Creek and the other Southeast tribes. The nation featured a confederacy of the war and peace towns, which were represented by red and white. Each of the chiefs of the red towns was subordinated, a supreme chief in charge of the war zone. The same was also the case for the white towns. The peace towns were often a sanctuary for those who did wrong, and the war ceremonies used to take place in the red towns. The Cherokee Indians experienced a lot of discrimination and negative treatment from the White Americans in history.

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Ethnic and Cultural Background

In the mid-16th century, the Cherokee encountered the Spanish explorers. At that time, they possessed a series of stone implements, including knives and chisels, among others. They were also involved in pottery, basket weaving, and even cultivation. They would get meat and clothing from animals such as deer, bear, and elk. The houses featured bark-roofed cabins that were also windowless. They featured a single doorway and a smoke hole in the roof (Smithers 609). A typical town would have around 30 to 60 similar houses, and one council house for meetings and the lighting of the sacred fire.

After 1800, this community of Cherokee Indians became widely known for how they managed to successfully assimilate the American settler culture (Pratt 181). They were able to form a government whose model was borrowed from that of the United States. Under the guidance of Chief Junaluska, the tribe was able to aide Andrew Jackson in his quest against the Creek during the Creek War. They were also able to adopt the colonial methods of farming, weaving, and even building.

The most remarkable aspect was the syllabary of this tribe's language, which was established in 1821 by Sequoyah. This individual had managed to interact with many Americans during the U.S. Army in the Creek War. The system was successful to a point where the entire tribe became conversant with it within a very short time. They were able to establish a written constitution, which also enabled their religious literature to flourish. It also features some translations from the Christian scriptures. This tribe's first newspaper was published in February 1828 (Smithers 611).

Even though this tribe was able to rapidly acquire the settler culture that did not protect them from the hunger showcased by the Americans towards their land, for instance, when gold was finally discovered on their Georgia land, the thirst to take over the land by the Americans became even more intense. By the end of 1835, a treaty was signed, which gave the Americans power over all the land located towards the east of the Mississippi River (Parrillo 203). A majority of the tribe were, however, not impressed by this move to sell the land. That is why they decided to take the matter to the Supreme Court. The ruling favored the Cherokee by stating that Georgia did not have any jurisdiction over the land.

Motivations to Emigrate to America

The Cherokee land, located in specific parts such as Alabama, Georgia, and even Tennessee, among many others, was well known for being quite valuable (Pratt 182). As the White man settled in these regions in large numbers, the land became even more coveted by that population. Most of the White Americans wanted to use the land to create a lot of fortune by growing cotton, which was considered a great opportunity for financial growth. The Whites did not care about the reactions of these Native Americans, which is why they were willing to anything possible to have access and control over the land (Grayzel 190). Hence, they took severe measures such as raiding the Cherokee livestock, burning and looting their houses and even committing mass murder. Eventually, they managed to squat on that land, which was not theirs.

Andrew Jackson, who was a great advocate for Indian removal, had actively spent years planning the brutal campaigns against these tribes in Georgia and Alabama (Pratt 184). It is due to his campaigns that the acres of Indian tribe lands were transferred to white farmers. As the elected president, he continued his quest, which is why the Indian Removal Act was signed in 1830 (Vick 395). It gave a lot of power to the federal government to exchange the Indian land in the region where cotton farming flourished, for land towards the west of the country. Even though the law required that the negotiations to move be handled fairly and voluntarily, President Jackson did not adhere to these rules.

They practically forced the Native Americans to vacate the land within which they had owned for many generations. During the winter season in 1831, the U.S. Army threatened to invade the regions. The Choctaw were forced to vacate their land as they feared for their lives. They had to move on foot to the Indian Territory like slaves. They did not have enough food and supplies from the government, which led to thousands of deaths before they finally got to their destination. The Cherokee tribe was divided since some wanted to stay and fight, while others simply wanted to leave for fear of war. It was when the Treaty of New Echota was negotiated for a price of $5 million by those who wanted to leave (Smith 321).

Patterns of Settlement

Although the majority of the Native Americans protested the passing of the treaty above, the government still approved it. Two years later, their removal from the land began (Grayzel 191). In 1838, Gen. Scott was given the mandate to oversee the removal process. He started by dividing the nation into three districts, before assigning a military commander to each one of them. Gen. Eustis was responsible for the relocation of the North Carolina Cherokees, Gen. Floyd was given command over most of the Georgian Cherokees, and Col. Lindsay took over the Cherokees in Alabama and some of east Tennessee and Northern Georgia (Parrillo 202). It took around 33 military posts and camps to oversee the operation. Gen. Scott, however, ordered the soldiers to refrain from using force and inhumane measures when removing the Cherokee. Wagons were provided for special groups such as the elderly, but the rest were expected to walk to the destination.

The Overall Experience of This Group in American History

Because the Cherokees were forced to acquire the American culture, and later on evicted from their native land, it is clear that their overall experience in America was quite negative. This tribe has been subjected to a series of discriminations from the White Americans who have always perceived them as aliens who did not belong in this specific region. They were constantly secluded, and their rights were never given the importance they deserved. That is shown by how the president Jackson would campaign for their removal even though it impacted their lives significantly. The Cherokee were murdered, their livestock was raided, and their houses destroyed simply because the White Americans wanted to take over the productive land. The courts also let them down by passing treaties even when it was clear that a majority was not in support of it. That is proof that the tribe was not considered equal to the White Americans.

Personal Opinion

The Cherokee Indians were greatly discriminated in history up to the point where they were forced to move to other regions. Their cultural background was significantly impacted when they were forced to acquire the American culture and let go of their own. However, even after taking this step, not much change was experienced as the White Americans still perceived them as inferior and not deserving of any resources that allowed growth. The topic of Cherokee Indians was chosen because it represents some of how discrimination takes place today. White Americans are still exploiting other regions, and the law supports these actions without considering that the rest are also legal citizens of the country.

Conclusion

Discrimination and negative treatment are what majorly impacted the culture of the Cherokee Indians. They struggled to maintain their land, but the White Americans managed to overpower them through the government. It is what led them to be relocated to other regions, leaving behind rich land that would have provided great opportunities for the growth of this community.

Works Cited

Grayzel, John. "Mark Pearcey. The Exclusions of Civilization: Indigenous Peoples in the Story of International Society. New York: Palgrave, 2016, and Nick McDonell. The Civilization of Perpetual Movement: Nomads in the Modern World. London; Hurst, 2016." Comparative Civilizations Review, Vol. 81, No. 1, Art. 1, 2019, pp. 189-193.

Parrillo, Vincent N. Strangers to These Shores: Race and Relations in the United States. 11th ed., William Paterson University, 2014, pp. 201-204.

Pratt, Adam J. "Violence and the Competition for Sovereignty in Cherokee Country, 1829-1835". American Nineteenth Century History, vol 17, no. 2, 2016, pp. 181-197. Informa U.K. Limited, doi:10.1080/14664658.2016.1215018.

Smith, Daniel. "An American Betrayal: Cherokee Patriots and the Trail of Tears." New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2011, pp. 321. ISBN 978-0-8050-8955-4.

Smithers, Gregory D. ""Our Hands and Hearts Are Joined Together": Friendship, Colonialism, and the Cherokee People in Early America". Journal of Social History, vol 50, no. 4, 2017, pp. 609-629. Oxford University Press (OUP), doi:10.1093/jsh/shw066.

Vick, Alfred. "Cherokee Adaptation to the Landscape of the West and Overcoming the Loss of Culturally Significant Plants". American Indian Quarterly, vol 35, no. 3, 2011, pp. 394-417. University Of Nebraska Press, doi:10.5250/amerindiquar.35.3.0394.