The Shawnee tribe, a group of Algonquian-speaking Native Americans, traditionally inhabited areas in several US states. After forced migrations due to US colonial expansion, they are now based in Oklahoma and federally recognized as a Native American tribe. The tribe was divided into three federally recognized divisions, with one inhabiting much of the Ohio woodlands before being forced to move westward due to the Indian Removal Act. The Shawnee tribe was generally loyal to the Union during the Civil War and was allowed to return to their Kansas settlements, but were eventually forced out again and settled in Oklahoma. The Shawnee Tribe is now a self-governing and federally recognized entity based in Miami, Oklahoma.
The Shawnee tribe is a designated group of Algonquian-speaking Native Americans who have traditionally inhabited areas that are known today as the states of Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Indiana. They are also known as the Shaawanwaki and are federally recognized as a Native American tribe. Today they are based in Oklahoma after a long history of forced migrations due to US colonial expansion.
One of three federally recognized divisions of Shawnee, the Shawnee tribe inhabited much of the Ohio woodlands before Europeans settled the area. In 1830, President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act into law that forced Native Americans east of the Mississippi to move to the Plains states. The removal was supposed to be a voluntary action by the tribes, but many tribal leaders were forced to sign such agreements.
After the deed was signed, the Shawnee tribe was moved westward. Before such forced migrations, however, Europeans began encroaching on the lands of the Shawnee tribe, so many of them left and made their way to Missouri. This band of the Shawnee tribe was later known as the Absentee Shawnee. Other Shawnee remained in the Ohio area on land set aside specifically for the Native tribe, but after the Indian Removal Act was signed, much of the rest of the tribe moved to Indian Territory in what is now the state of Oklahoma .
The last band of Shawnee to leave the Ohio area would later come to be known as the Shawnee Tribe. They migrated into what is now the state of Kansas, but the lands they inhabited were greatly reduced as more settlers entered the area. The Shawnee tribe was generally loyal to the Union during the Civil War, and as a reward for their service, they were allowed to return to their Kansas settlements. Unfortunately, much of that land had then been settled by non-native settlers.
When Kansas became a state, the Shawnee were once again forced out of their settlements. The Shawnee made deals with the Cherokee, allowing them to settle on traditional Cherokee lands. Eventually, the Shawnee moved south to Oklahoma, where most still live. The headquarters of the Shawnee Tribe is located in Miami, Oklahoma and acts as a self-governing and federally recognized entity.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
