Life in Indian Territory

Chapter 6

All political power is inherent in the people, and all free

governments are founded on their authority, and instituted

for their benefit.-Constitution of the Chickasaw Nation

MenuMenu

Maintaining OrderMaintaining Order The Civilized in Uncivilized LandThe Civilized in Uncivilized Land SequoyahSequoyah Governing the PeopleGoverning the People Mission SchoolsMission Schools Settling Other TribesSettling Other Tribes

Maintaining OrderMaintaining Order

Difficult conditionsDifficult conditions Indian Territory Indian Territory notnot a part of U.S. a part of U.S. Fort GibsonFort Gibson main stronghold of main stronghold of

territoryterritory

No established towns

Didn’t always get promised supplies

Dishonest traders

Arguments among tribes

The Civilized in Uncivilized LandThe Civilized in Uncivilized Land

Farmer-Hunters Farmer-Hunters 1.1. Lived off the landLived off the land

2.2. Preferred home sites along a riverPreferred home sites along a river

3.3. 2 or 3 families would settle near 2 or 3 families would settle near each other for protectioneach other for protection

Merchants & Educated LeadersMerchants & Educated Leaders

Generally established themselves Generally established themselves in towns along rivers.in towns along rivers.

Established Established 3 important trading3 important trading centers centers

1.1. ChouteauChouteau2.2. TahlequahTahlequah3.3. DoaksvilleDoaksville

Indian PlantationsIndian PlantationsTribal members could make improvements Tribal members could make improvements

to land, but only sell the improvements to land, but only sell the improvements (never the land).(never the land).

Some with black slaves planted and raised:Some with black slaves planted and raised:1.1. CottonCotton2.2. Sweet potatoesSweet potatoes3.3. CornCorn4.4. HorsesHorses5.5. CattleCattle

George Guess

aka

Sequoyah

Son of a Cherokee woman and Nicholas Son of a Cherokee woman and Nicholas Gist (a friend of George Washington)Gist (a friend of George Washington)

Crippled by hunting accidentCrippled by hunting accident Invented Cherokee syllabary, or Invented Cherokee syllabary, or

alphabetalphabet May not have developed alphabet had it May not have developed alphabet had it

not been for missionaries eager to not been for missionaries eager to translate the Bible.translate the Bible.

Persecuted by tribal members and wifePersecuted by tribal members and wife1.1. They burned his cabinThey burned his cabin2.2. Once she destroyed his papers, but he shrugged and started Once she destroyed his papers, but he shrugged and started

overover

““Talking Leaves” consisted of 86 Talking Leaves” consisted of 86 characterscharacters

Governing the PeopleGoverning the People

The three following ideas remained at The three following ideas remained at the heart of the Indian way of life:the heart of the Indian way of life:

1.1. Common ownership of landCommon ownership of land

2.2. Sharing tribal resourcesSharing tribal resources

3.3. Rights of womenRights of women

Cherokee GovernmentCherokee Government

Seat of government – Seat of government – TahlequahTahlequah Cherokee Advocate, the Cherokee Advocate, the firstfirst newspaper newspaper

in the Indian Territoryin the Indian Territory Treaty of 1846Treaty of 1846 recognized: recognized:1.1. A United Cherokee Nation andA United Cherokee Nation and

2.2. Pardoned past crimes by Cherokee MembersPardoned past crimes by Cherokee Members

Executive Branch – Principal Chief with Assistant PC & executive council

Legislative Branch – National committee(2 members from 9 districts & council (3 members per district)

Judicial Branch – Supreme court, circuit court and others as needed

Legal Rights:Legal Rights: Right to be heard, to be told exact Right to be heard, to be told exact charges, to confront witnesses, speedy trial by charges, to confront witnesses, speedy trial by jury, and not testify against oneselfjury, and not testify against oneself

Religious Rights:Religious Rights: free exercise of religious free exercise of religious worship, but no one who “denied the being of a worship, but no one who “denied the being of a God or future state of reward and punishment” God or future state of reward and punishment” could hold officecould hold office

Schools:Schools: National Male Seminary and National National Male Seminary and National Female Seminary opened in 1851Female Seminary opened in 1851

Cherokee government continued:

Creek Creek (aka Muskogee)(aka Muskogee) GovernmentGovernment

Seat of Government – Seat of Government – OkmulgeeOkmulgee Worked with missionaries to fund Worked with missionaries to fund

mission schoolsmission schools

Executive BranchExecutive Branch – Principal chief – Principal chief Legislative BranchLegislative Branch – Council made of the two houses: – Council made of the two houses:

House of Kings (1 per town) and House of Warriors (1 per House of Kings (1 per town) and House of Warriors (1 per 200 people)200 people)

Judicial BranchJudicial Branch – High Court, 6 district courts – High Court, 6 district courts

Choctaw GovernmentChoctaw Government

Seat of government Seat of government

Nahih WayahNahih Wayah

Executive BranchExecutive Branch – Principal Chief and 3 district chiefs – Principal Chief and 3 district chiefs Legislative BranchLegislative Branch – Senate ( 4 per district) and House of – Senate ( 4 per district) and House of

Representatives (1 per 1,000 persons)Representatives (1 per 1,000 persons) Judicial BranchJudicial Branch – Supreme, circuit and county courts – Supreme, circuit and county courts

RightsRights: to speedy and public jury trial, excessive bail : to speedy and public jury trial, excessive bail prohibited, accused had right to be heardprohibited, accused had right to be heard

Religious Rights:Religious Rights: No provision except that there was no No provision except that there was no religious test for public officereligious test for public office

Schools:Schools: academies provided in all districts opening after academies provided in all districts opening after 18401840

Chickasaw GovernmentChickasaw Government

Seat of governmentSeat of government TishomingoTishomingo

Executive BranchExecutive Branch – Governor – Governor Legislative BranchLegislative Branch – House of Representatives and – House of Representatives and

SenateSenate Judicial BranchJudicial Branch – Supreme, district, and county courts – Supreme, district, and county courts

Legal Rights:Legal Rights: to speedy public trial by jury, no one forced to speedy public trial by jury, no one forced to testify against oneself, excessive bail and cruel and to testify against oneself, excessive bail and cruel and unusual punishments prohibitedunusual punishments prohibited

Religious Rights:Religious Rights: No religious test for holding office No religious test for holding office Schools:Schools: Chickasaw Academy, Bloomfield School, Chickasaw Academy, Bloomfield School,

Wapanucka Female Institute, & Colbert InstituteWapanucka Female Institute, & Colbert Institute

Mission SchoolsMission Schools Most major denominations such as:Most major denominations such as:

MethodistsMethodists, , BaptistsBaptists, and , and PresbyteriansPresbyterians supported some type of supported some type of mission work among the Native Americansmission work among the Native Americans

The The first schoolfirst school opened in Indian opened in Indian Territory was at Territory was at Union MissionUnion Mission in 1821 in 1821 with 4 Osage children.with 4 Osage children.

They taught the children various school They taught the children various school subjects. The girls were taught subjects. The girls were taught homemaking skills. They made friends homemaking skills. They made friends with the Indians and supported them in with the Indians and supported them in their efforts to save their tribal landstheir efforts to save their tribal lands

Settling Other TribesSettling Other Tribes

SeminoleSeminoleComancheComancheQuapawQuapawOttawaOttawaPeoriaPeoria

DelawareDelaware (famous for being scouts and guides)(famous for being scouts and guides)

AnadarkoAnadarkoWyandotWyandot

OklahomaOklahomaThe History of an American StateThe History of an American State

By Sue BlakeyBy Sue Blakey

Clairmont PressClairmont Press

Montgomery, AlabamaMontgomery, Alabama

Copyright 1995Copyright 1995

Images: Flag, Sequoyah, 5 Civilized Tribe Photos

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.otrd.state.ok.us/StudentGuide/images/FlagVignette.gif

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://digital.library.okstate.edu/Chronicles/v008/images/v008p149photo.jpg&imgrefurl=http://digital.library.okstate.edu/Chronicles/v008/v008p149.html

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Five-Civilized-Tribes-Portraits.png