A treaty is an agreement between two or more sovereign nations. Under the U.S. Constitution and the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the Constitution, Indian tribes are legally considered to be nations. During the nineteenth century, the United States government negotiated a number of treaties with Indian nations. While often called “peace treaties,” these treaties were … Continued
In 1839, the Cherokee in Oklahoma had gathered to create a new government. They adopted the Act of Union which was to be their new constitution. Under this constitution, they then selected John Ross as Principal Chief. However, John Ross had been the leader of the Cherokee who had been force-marched from Georgia to Oklahoma … Continued
By the beginning of the nineteenth century, many prominent and influential Americans, particularly those from the southern states, had decided that the United States should not contain any Indians. Pretending that their primary concern was the “protection” of the Indians, they pressured Indians to move across the Mississippi River using open threats and harassment. In … Continued
When the Corps of Discovery under the leadership of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark returned to St. Louis after their journey to the Pacific Ocean in 1807, they brought back reports of the rich beaver country at the headwaters of the Missouri River. As a result, the Upper Missouri in Montana became one of the … Continued
The Spanish invasion of what is now Florida began in 1513. At this time, there were at least 200,000 Native Americans living in the area. Even before the first Spanish explorers set foot in Florida, European diseases had begun to impact the Native population. Smallpox had been carried to the Calusa by Native people from … Continued
NPR’s Ombudsman recently released a report DEFENDING South Dakota’s illegal seizures of Lakota children- implying that the illegal separation of Native American children from their families is not South Dakota’s fault. NPR Ombudsman Edward Schumacher-Matos recently attacked an excellent investigation by Laura Sullivan and Amy Walters that looked into the problems with Native American Foster … Continued
John Howard Payne, an actor, poet, playwright, and author, is probably best known for his song “Home Sweet Home” which he wrote in 1822. Following a successful theatrical career in London, he returned to the United States and spent some time with the Cherokee. In 1835, Payne was in Georgia gathering materials and subscribers … Continued
By the beginning of the nineteenth century, Americans were envisioning a country without Indians, and Thomas Jefferson proposed that the Indians be removed and sent west of the Mississippi River. To help bring this vision into fruition, Jefferson had purchased the rights to govern the Louisiana Territory. While he submitted legislation to Congress which called … Continued
In the world of politics, those who become powerful don’t always have the best interests of their people in their hearts and minds. Sometimes, political leaders are seeking to enhance their own wealth, power, and prestige. One of these leaders was the Cherokee chief Doublehead. Doublehead was one of the most feared men in the … Continued
In spite of the opposition of fur traders, in 1832 Congress passed a law stating: “No ardent spirits shall be hereafter introduced, under any pretence, into the Indian country.” This total prohibition applied to traders and non-traders and allowed no exception. While it was clear that the law totally banned all alcohol on reservations, this … Continued
