NC Native American Tribes Creek/ Algonquin Croatoan Catawba Cherokee Lumbee Tuscarora

Creek language Muskogee White settlers called them Creek after Ocmulgee Creek in Georgia Descendants of the Mississippian culture Lived in Georgia, Alabama, Florida and NC Forced to move to Oklahoma

Two Creek tribes today Poarch Creeks in Alabama: live on a reservation Oklahoma Creeks live on trust land. Creek Nation has its own government, laws, police, and other services like a small country. (however they are US citizens) Farmers: growing corn, beans, squash, melons, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes.

Tuscarora Dominated the Coastal Plain in the 1500’s Concentrated near the Neuse and Tar rivers Name means “hemp gatherers” Used hemp to make rope and binding cord Kin to the famous Iroquois nation of NY

Catawba Lived in the Piedmont Named by Juan Pardo-heard them say ka-pa-tu meaning “where the river divides” (Catawba river) Language-several versions of the Sioux language Kin to the Sioux

Algonquin Lived along the coast Spoke various versions of the Algonquin language Shared by tribes all along the Atlantic Coast Depended heavily on fish, but also ate fruits, melons, walnuts, cucumbers, gourdes, peas John White’s famous water color paintings

Croatoan Lived in the Coastal areas of NC (Dare county) near Roanoke Sound and Croatoan Sound Extinct as a tribe: were one of the Carolina Algonquin peoples Primary food source-agriculture Efficient farmers-fed both colonists and themselves Were on good terms with English settlers

Lumbee Based in NC Possible descendants of Croatoans and survivors of the Lost Colony Lost Colony theories-article Others believe they are descendants from an Eastern Siouan group called the Cheraws

Cherokee Most famous Indian group in NC Like the Tuscarora-kin to Iroquois First settled in mountains during woodland period. Cherokee: a variation of a Mississippian word for “people who live in caves”-a reference to their mountain homes

Cherokee-one of the largest tribes 3 divisions: Lower Cherokee-lived in SC and Georgia Upper Cherokee-lived in Tennessee River Valley Middle Cherokee-lived in western NC (most important) Each division spoke a different dialect of the Cherokee language

Cherokees baskets-works of art Shared many beliefs, habits and customs with the Woodland culture. All children belonged to the clan. (an extended family) Divided work up fairly between men and women Tribes governed by consensus (discussed problems till everyone agreed)

Diseases Native Americans had no immunity or resistance to the diseases the Europeans brought. Most deadly were smallpox, measles, chicken pox, and influenza Beliefs- Native Americans believed that the land was to be used by everyone