The Cherokee Indian Tribe, the largest integrated tribe in existence, controlled areas in the southeastern United States. They were divided into red and white towns and lived in log cabins, supporting their villages through hunting and agriculture. They allied with the British during the French and Indian War but were later expelled from their homelands, forced to endure the Path of Tears to new lands in Oklahoma.
The Cherokee Indian Tribe is a North American aboriginal group that speaks an Iroquois language. The group was typically located in the southeastern United States. When settlers arrived in the 17th century, the Cherokee Indian tribe was the largest integrated tribe in existence, in fact their name comes from a Creek word meaning people of many languages. The group is thought to have migrated from the Great Lakes region, where other Iroquoian languages were common.
The Cherokee Indian Nation is the largest recognized Aboriginal group in the United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, it was reported that there were more than 300,000 Cherokee Indians living in the country. The largest settlements are in Oklahoma and Cherokee, North Carolina.
Prior to the arrival of European settlers, the Cherokee Indian tribe controlled areas in the Appalachian Mountains, Georgia, East Tennessee, and the western borders of North and South Carolina. Cherokee settlements were divided into red and white towns. The red cities were in charge of warfare, had a war chief, and were populated by young people. White cities were peaceful and responsible for conducting religious activities and events. Cities were kept separate because warfare was believed to be a polluting activity that should not be mixed with religious ceremonies.
The people lived in log cabins and supported their villages through hunting and agriculture. The Cherokee Indian Tribe grew and helped domesticate squash and sunflowers. During the 17th century, the group came into direct contact with Europeans who wanted to settle their land.
The French and Indian War, which lasted from 1754 to 1763, began over a disagreement over who controlled the upper Ohio River Valley. The French believed they owned it and could determine who settled and traded there. The British, on the other hand, felt the area belonged to them. The Cherokee Indian tribe allied with the British because the French allied with some Iroquois groups who were enemies of the Cherokee. In 1759, the British betrayed their Aboriginal allies when they began indiscriminately burning indigenous communities, including those belonging to the Cherokee Indian tribe.
While the Cherokee were known for their ability to assimilate quickly into the social and political structures of the settlers, they, like many other native groups, were expelled from their homelands. For example, gold was discovered in Georgia in 1830, which led to the forced removal of the Cherokee Indian tribe from the region. This occurred in 1839, in what has come to be known as the Path of Tears. During this, the Cherokee residents were rounded up and forced to endure a 1,000-mile (about 1,609 km) march to new lands in Oklahoma. Thousands died en route.
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