The Five Southeastern Tribes Stokes Oklahoma History

The Five Tribes as Modern People Who are the Five Tribes? Why are they important to Oklahoma? Historically? Today? What do we normally think about Native Americans in our state today? What do we think about Casinos? Are Casinos good or Bad? What are Chickasaws like today?

Five “Civilized” Tribes Cherokee Choctaw Creek Chickasaw Seminole Ceremony- Green Corn ceremony was important. Political units (counties/towns)-Chiefdoms.

Southeastern Homelands The Five tribes lived in the southeastern United States. Cherokee- Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina Choctaw-Mississippi, Alabama Chickasaw- Mississippi, Alabama Creek-Alabama, Georgia Seminole- Florida

The Cherokee Syllabary Sequoyah invented the syllabary. Contains 86 symbols that represent syllables in the Cherokee language. He wanted to preserve Cherokee culture and allow Cherokees to compete with whites. His greatest accomplishment was it made the Cherokees literate.

Cherokee (tsa-la-gi)Syllabary

Sequoyah (aka) George Guess

Influences of the 5 Tribes on Oklahoma today: “Oklahoma” is a Choctaw word. Many Town and County names are original tribal place names. (Tishomingo, Muskogee, Pontotoc) The State seal has tribal symbols representing each tribe. 2/3 of native Americans in Oklahoma today are from these tribes.

Tribal Influences Today

Oklahoman’s of Tribal Descent John Herrington-Chickasaw Wilma Mankiller- Cherokee

Modern Oklahoma Pioneers Why are the 5 tribes considered to be the “real Pioneers” of modern Oklahoma? They built the first schools, churches, towns, homes, governments, roads, and began the process of Oklahoma becoming a state. Which was here first? Tahlequah or Stillwater?

The Process of Acculturation The exposure to and adoption of another groups culture. What culture were the 5 Tribes exposed to? What ways were used to acculturate the tribes? 1. Religion- Missionaries 2. Education 3. Intermarriage- Mixed Bloods

Traditionalists and Full bloods Indians who wanted to preserve the “old” tribal ways were known as traditionalists. A traditional could be full or mixed blood. Full bloods were Indians with no outside bloodlines. They were almost always traditional.

Progressives and Mixed Bloods Indians who were open to acculturation and adopting new “white” ways were known as progressives. Mixed Bloods were Indians with other bloodlines, either white or black, in their family heritage. Because of this, they were more progressive.

Communal Land Ownership The Five Tribes believed that no one individual could own the land. Land was held in common by the tribe and shared within the tribe. A person could not buy, sell, or rent land.

TECUMSEH Who was Tecumseh? What was his message? What happened to him and his message? What was his view on land ownership?

Review Questions: Name the five S.E. Tribes What was the major accomplishment for Sequoyah? What is the process of adopting another groups culture known as? Why are the 5 tribes seen as the real pioneers of Oklahoma? Name an influence on Oklahoma from the 5 tribes.

Cherokee Words Cherokee tsa-la-gi Hello o-si-yo Bullfrog ka-nu-nu Indians a-ni-yv-wi-ya-hi Sunshine a-ga-li-ha