BOOK GUIDES
Review this thematic timeline aligned with Cherokee Nation: A History of Survival, Self-Determination, and Identity , highlighting key historical moments that amplify Native voices and center Indigenous perspectives throughout the narrative. Chapter 1: Since the Beginning of Time Origins and Early Culture (Time Immemorial–1765) Pre-1500s – Matrilineal kinship system governs land use, leadership, and family structure. 1540 : First recorded European contact when Hernando de Soto's expedition traverses Cherokee territory. 1654 : English settlers from Jamestown, supported by Pamunkey forces, attack a village possibly associated with the Cherokee, resulting in a defeat for the English. 1721 : Cherokee sign a treaty with South Carolina, ceding land between the Santee, Saluda, and Edisto Rivers. 1730 : Sir Alexander Cumming crowns Moytoy of Tellico as "Emperor of the Cherokee" and facilitates a delegation of Cherokee leaders to London to meet King George II. Time Immemorial – Cherokee people establish towns, governance systems, clan structures, and spiritual relationships with the land in the southeastern woodlands. Oral history era – Knowledge, laws, and values are preserved through storytelling and ceremony. Chapter 2: Frontier Contact and Conflict (1765–1794) European Contact and Adaptation 1763 – British Proclamation Line restricts colonial settlement west of the Appalachians, impacting Cherokee lands. 1775–1783 – American Revolutionary War disrupts Cherokee territory; Cherokee towns are attacked and destroyed. 1785 – Treaty of Hopewell establishes U.S.–Cherokee relations but reduces Cherokee land. 1791 – Treaty of Holston further limits Cherokee territory and asserts U.S. authority. Chapter 3: Rise of the Cherokee State (1794–1828) Centralized Government, Legal System, and Political Identity 1794 – Cherokee leaders begin efforts to centralize governance following frontier conflicts. 1808 – Cherokee Nation adopts its first written laws. 1821 : Sequoyah develops the Cherokee syllabary, enabling widespread literacy among the Cherokee people. 1827 : Cherokee Nation adopts a constitution, establishing a government with legislative, executive, and judicial branches. 1828 – First Cherokee newspaper, The Cherokee Phoenix , is published. Chapter 4: Blunt Force of Removal (1828–1839) Removal and the Trail of Tears 1828 – Andrew Jackson elected U.S. President, escalating removal pressure. 1830 : U.S. Congress passes the Indian Removal Act, authorizing the forced relocation of Native American tribes, including the Cherokee. 1832 : In Worcester v. Georgia, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that state laws have no authority in Cherokee territory, affirming tribal sovereignty. 1835 : Treaty of New Echota is signed by a minority faction of the Cherokee and without Cherokee National Council approval, ceding all Cherokee lands east of the Mississippi River to the U.S. 1838–1839 – Forced removal of the Cherokee on the Trail of Tears. 1838–1839 : Forced removal of the Cherokee people, known as the Trail of Tears, leads to the death of approximately 4,000 Cherokee during the journey to Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma). Chapter 5: Dawn of New Opportunities (1839–1861) Reconstruction and Resilience 1839 – Cherokee Nation West and East factions reunite and establish a new government in Tahlequah, Indian Territory. Cherokee Nation reestablishes government in Indian Territory. 1840s–1850s – Schools, courts, and political institutions are rebuilt. 1846 – Treaty of Washington resolves removal disputes and reaffirms Cherokee Nation status. 1846: Cherokee Nation establishes the Cherokee Male Seminary, one of the first institutions of higher learning west of the Mississippi River. 1850s – Cherokee Nation experiences economic growth and political stability. Timeline of Cherokee History: With Voices from Cherokee Nation: A History of Survival, Self-Determination, and Identity
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator