BOOK GUIDES
Key Vocabulary and Terminology
Here’s a chapter-by-chapter list of key vocabulary words and definitions from Cherokee Nation: A History of Survival, Self- Determination, and Identity . These terms help build background knowledge, deepen comprehension, and support critical engagement with the text.
Chapter 1: Since the Beginning of Time Origins and Early Culture Homeland - The original lands where the Cherokee people lived, governed, and maintained cultural relationships for generations. Clan System - A traditional Cherokee social structure that organizes family relationships, responsibilities, and identity. Stewardship - The responsibility to care for land, water, and community in respectful and sustainable ways. Oral Tradition - The passing down of history, knowledge, and values through spoken stories rather than written texts. Chapter 2: Frontier Contact and Conflict: 1765-1794 European Contact and Adaptation Colonization - The process by which outside powers took control of Indigenous lands and disrupted Native governance and lifeways. Trade Networks - Systems of exchange that connected Cherokee communities with neighboring Tribes and later Europeans. Disease Epidemics - Illnesses brought by Europeans that had devastating effects on Native populations. Diplomacy - The practice of negotiation and relationship-building between nations. Nationhood - The political and cultural identity of the Cherokee Nation as a self-governing people. Sovereignty - The inherent right of the Cherokee Nation to govern itself and make decisions for its people. Syllabary - A written language system created by Sequoyah that allowed Cherokee people to read and write their language. Constitution - A formal document outlining the structure and authority of Cherokee government. Chapter 4: Blunt Force of Removal: 1828-1839 Removal and the Trail of Tears Treaty - A legally binding agreement between the Cherokee Nation and the United States. Federal Indian Policy - Laws and actions taken by the U.S. government that shaped Native land ownership and governance. Jurisdiction - The authority to make and enforce laws within a specific territory. Land Cession - The forced or pressured surrender of land through treaties or government actions. Chapter 3: Rise of the Cherokee State: 1794-1828 Cherokee Centralized Government, Legal System, and Political Identity Chapter 5: Dawn of New Opportunities: 1839-1861 Reconstruction and Resilience Removal - The forced displacement of the Cherokee people from their southeastern homelands. Trail of Tears - The journey of forced relocation during the 1830s that resulted in widespread death and suffering.
Stockade - Temporary detention camps where Cherokee families were held before removal. Resilience - The ability to survive, adapt, and continue despite hardship and trauma.
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