In North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, and Georgia around 125,000 Native Americans inhabited millions of acres of land which they had enjoyed for generations. These southeastern states were valuable, especially for growing crops like cotton which is why white settlers from the United States wanted them. Around the beginning of the 1830’s Native Americans were forcibly removed from the Deep South by the federal government. A decade later a minimal amount of Native Americans still lived in these areas after being moved from east of the Mississippi along the Trail of Tears where many people perished.(Trail of Tears) The historical facts, political perspective, and cultural perspectives all played major parts in the Trail’s creation.
Timeline of Cherokee History
1000: Cherokee are well known in Tennessee River and the Great Smoky Mountain area, having traveled on foot from the Appalachian Mountains to the Iroquois territory.
1540: Hernando de Soto travels the Cherokee territory.
1600s: Spanish, French,English explorers, and traders start to come into Cherokee Territory.
1730: Cherokee leaders visit England.
1754: Nanye hi becomes a Beloved Woman to her people after challenging the Cherokees in a battle against the Creeks.
1756- 1763: Cherokees fight in the French and Indian war (against the British.)
1776: Cherokees are again enemies against the British in the American Revolution.
1780- 1820: Cherokees sign more treaties leaving their land to the United States.
1821: The Cherokee syllabary is finished by Sequoyah.
1827: Cherokees draft a constitution declaring themselves a nation.
1828: The Cherokee Phoenix is published, Andrew Jackson becomes president of the United States, and John Ross becomes Principal Chief.
1830: The Indian Removal Act is passed.
1835: The Treaty of New Echota is signed declaring all of the Cherokee land east of the Mississippi River to the U.S. government. It was signed by Major Ridge and a small group of Cherokees.
1838: The Trail of Tears started because Cherokees are forced off their land to Indian Territory.
1839: A new capital is established by the Cherokee Nation in what is now known as Oklahoma.
1861: At Park Hill a Treaty is signed between the Confederate government and the Cherokee Nation.
1866-1867: They negotiate peace with the U.S. government. Tribal and land rights treaty is signed. John Ross dies.
1887: General Allotment Act is passed.
1889: Indian Territory taken over by white settlers or "boomers."
1890: Western half of Indian Territory turned into Indian Territory.
1893: White settlers take over Cherokee Outlet.
1898: Curtis Act is passed.
1903: W.C. Rogers becomes last elected chief. He was chief for 69 years.
1905: Land allotment begins.
1907: Indian and Oklahoma territories are combined by Oklahoma statehood. Tribal government dissolves.
1917: W. C. Rogers dies. He was the last Cherokee chief.
1934: Indian Reorganization act is established.
1948: Chief J.B. Milam calls Cherokee convention.
1949: President Harry Truman appoints W.W. Bill Keeler as chief.
1957: First national holiday for Cherokees.
1961: US Claims Commission awards Cherokees 15 million dollars for the Cherokee Outlet Land.
1963: Cherokee National Historical Society founded.
1967: Cherokee Foundation formed.
1970: Cherokee Nation gets ownership of beds and banks.
1971: W.W. Bill Keeler becomes elected principal chief. He was the first chief since statehood.
1975: self-determination and Education Act is passed. Ross O. Swimmer elected principal chief. He served a term for three years. First Cherokee Tribal Council elected.
1976: Cherokee voters accept new constitution.
1984: Eastern band of Cherokees and Cherokee nation hold first joint council meeting. It was the first meeting held in 146 years.
1987: Wilma Mankiller becomes the first woman elected chief, and makes history.
1988: The Trail of Tears begin when the Cherokee Nation combines with the Eastern band of Cherokees.
1989: The 150th anniversary for the Cherokees for arriving in the "Indian Territory" or a "New Beginning."
1990: Chief Mankiller sign the self-governance agreement. This makes the Cherokee Nation one of the six tribes to cooperate in the self-determination project.
1991: Wilma Mankiller becomes principal chief again to serve her second term.
1995: Joe Byrd and Garland Eagle elected principal chief.
1540: Hernando de Soto travels the Cherokee territory.
1600s: Spanish, French,English explorers, and traders start to come into Cherokee Territory.
1730: Cherokee leaders visit England.
1754: Nanye hi becomes a Beloved Woman to her people after challenging the Cherokees in a battle against the Creeks.
1756- 1763: Cherokees fight in the French and Indian war (against the British.)
1776: Cherokees are again enemies against the British in the American Revolution.
1780- 1820: Cherokees sign more treaties leaving their land to the United States.
1821: The Cherokee syllabary is finished by Sequoyah.
1827: Cherokees draft a constitution declaring themselves a nation.
1828: The Cherokee Phoenix is published, Andrew Jackson becomes president of the United States, and John Ross becomes Principal Chief.
1830: The Indian Removal Act is passed.
1835: The Treaty of New Echota is signed declaring all of the Cherokee land east of the Mississippi River to the U.S. government. It was signed by Major Ridge and a small group of Cherokees.
1838: The Trail of Tears started because Cherokees are forced off their land to Indian Territory.
1839: A new capital is established by the Cherokee Nation in what is now known as Oklahoma.
1861: At Park Hill a Treaty is signed between the Confederate government and the Cherokee Nation.
1866-1867: They negotiate peace with the U.S. government. Tribal and land rights treaty is signed. John Ross dies.
1887: General Allotment Act is passed.
1889: Indian Territory taken over by white settlers or "boomers."
1890: Western half of Indian Territory turned into Indian Territory.
1893: White settlers take over Cherokee Outlet.
1898: Curtis Act is passed.
1903: W.C. Rogers becomes last elected chief. He was chief for 69 years.
1905: Land allotment begins.
1907: Indian and Oklahoma territories are combined by Oklahoma statehood. Tribal government dissolves.
1917: W. C. Rogers dies. He was the last Cherokee chief.
1934: Indian Reorganization act is established.
1948: Chief J.B. Milam calls Cherokee convention.
1949: President Harry Truman appoints W.W. Bill Keeler as chief.
1957: First national holiday for Cherokees.
1961: US Claims Commission awards Cherokees 15 million dollars for the Cherokee Outlet Land.
1963: Cherokee National Historical Society founded.
1967: Cherokee Foundation formed.
1970: Cherokee Nation gets ownership of beds and banks.
1971: W.W. Bill Keeler becomes elected principal chief. He was the first chief since statehood.
1975: self-determination and Education Act is passed. Ross O. Swimmer elected principal chief. He served a term for three years. First Cherokee Tribal Council elected.
1976: Cherokee voters accept new constitution.
1984: Eastern band of Cherokees and Cherokee nation hold first joint council meeting. It was the first meeting held in 146 years.
1987: Wilma Mankiller becomes the first woman elected chief, and makes history.
1988: The Trail of Tears begin when the Cherokee Nation combines with the Eastern band of Cherokees.
1989: The 150th anniversary for the Cherokees for arriving in the "Indian Territory" or a "New Beginning."
1990: Chief Mankiller sign the self-governance agreement. This makes the Cherokee Nation one of the six tribes to cooperate in the self-determination project.
1991: Wilma Mankiller becomes principal chief again to serve her second term.
1995: Joe Byrd and Garland Eagle elected principal chief.
This timeline information is directly retrieved from http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110325/timeline.htm
Photo
National Park Service. (n.d.) Map2: Cherokee Removal Route. Retrieved from http://www.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/118trail/118locate2.htm
Timeline Information
Students for Students. (n.d) Timeline of Cherokee History. Retrieved from http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110325/timeline.htm
Trail of Tears, A. (n.d.). The story | trail of tears national historic trail. Retrieved from http://www.nationaltota.org/
National Park Service. (n.d.) Map2: Cherokee Removal Route. Retrieved from http://www.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/118trail/118locate2.htm
Timeline Information
Students for Students. (n.d) Timeline of Cherokee History. Retrieved from http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110325/timeline.htm
Trail of Tears, A. (n.d.). The story | trail of tears national historic trail. Retrieved from http://www.nationaltota.org/