Native American Tribes in Georgia
Cherokee Indians
The Cherokee name means speakers of another language. The Cherokees are one of the most largely populated Indian societies. They lived in Northern Georgia. Cherokees lived in villages where they built circular homes with a small hole at the top that they can uncover to release smoke. Cherokee men wore breechcloths and leggings. Women wore wraparound skirts and poncho-style blouses. From 1756-1763, the Cherokee fought first as allies then as enemies of the colonists of North Carolina in the seven year war. During the Indian removal act the Cherokee were forced to take the trail of tears to territory in Oklahoma. On the map the Cherokee are located in the green area.
Apalachee Indians
Apalachee means people on the other side. The name is also spelled and said as Apalachi, Appalachi, Apalachee, or Apalache. Men of the Apalachee tribe hunted and went to war for their families. Women of the Apalachee tribe farmed, cooked, and took care of the children. Only men of the tribe could become chiefs but both of the genders would take part in storytelling, artwork, music, and traditional medicine. The Appalachia’s tribe in Georgia is Southwest at the very bottom of Georgia near Florida. The Apalachee are originally part of northwestern Florida so they take up a very small part of Georgia that borders Florida. The Apalachee are located in the purple area.
Muscogee Creek Indians
The Lower Creek indians lived in eastern Georgia along the Flint and Chattahoochee rivers as well as the coast. Creek Indians were descendants of the west Mississippian temple mound builders. Men of the Creek tribe hunted and went to war for their families while women were farmers, cooked, and took care of the children. Around 1715 the Indians broke away from the English. Post-war the Americans felt like they were entitled to the Indians land because of the Indians lack of support towards them. William McIntosh was bribed by Georgia agents to sign away all the Creeks remaining land. The Muscogee Creeks are located in the two blue areas and the blue line.
Hitchiti Indians
The Hitchiti lived on the east bank of the Chattahoochee river. The Hitchiti tribe is often not mentioned in historical records. The first time the tribe was recorded was in 1733, because to of it’s delegates were noted for accompanying the Lower Creeks chief to meet James Oglethorpe at Savannah. The Hitchiti become an integral part of the Creek Nation. The Hitchiti indians are located in the orange area on the map.
Oconee Indians
When they were first known to the Englishmen, they were mainly located on Oconee River, which is about 14 miles South of Milledgeville, Georgia below a place that was called the Rock Landing. There was a list of towns given in 1761, that included a big and little Oconee town. With the two put together there were 50 hunters. The towns were increasing in industry by making fences, attending to stock, and having moderately rich land as well as cattle, hogs, and horses. The Oconee were not represented in the census of 1832, so it was assumed by Bartram that they had all gone to Florida or they United with other people. The Oconee indians are located in the orange area.
Miccosukee Indians
Before white settlement on indians lands, mid-southeast land like Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and Kentucky was Miccosukee territory. During the Indian Removal in the early to mid 1800s the members of the Miccosukee tribe wanted to move to the Florida Everglades. In February of 2014 the Chairman of the Miccosukee was Colley Billie. A leader for the Miccosukee tribe is elected every 4 years. The Miccosukee indians are located in the orange area on the map.
Timucua Indians
The Timucua indians are located on Cumberland island, in inland forests in southeastern Georgia, and possibly near the Okefenokee swamp. The Timucua weren’t a politically unified unit. They were made up of at least 35 chiefdoms that each had 2-10 villages one of which was primary. The men of the tribe hunted, while the women gathered things like fruits, berries, and nuts. The Timucua indians were badly mistreated by the spaniards. In 1656 the Timucua indians rebelled against the forced labor law in particular. The Timucua indians are located in the pink area on the map.
Yamasee Indians
The Yamasee we’re located in the same area as the Guale Indians which lived along the Savannah river. The Yamasee are close relatives of the Miccosukee. The Yamasee indians are described as the most fierce of all the native Americans. The Yamasee are known mainly because of the Yamasee war. During the Yamasee war, in 1715, around 7% of South Carolina’s white population were killed. The Yamasee indians were African. The Yamasee indians are located in the mint green area on the map.
Guale Indians
The Guale Indians lived along the coastline of Georgia from the Savannah river to St. Andrews Sound. The Yamasee also happens to live in the same area. Guale Indians were semi agricultural Muskogean people. The Guale Indians were discovered by the Spaniards from Florida. The Florida Spaniards pronounced Guale Indians wallie indians. In 1597 the Guale Indians rebelled against the Spaniards. During the Guale rebellion, the Guale Indians murdered 5 Franciscan friars that were stationed in their territory after forming close ties with the Spanish. The quake indians are located in the maroon area on the map.
Shawnee Indians
The Shawnee indians migrated to Georgia after European colonization. Originally the Shawnee indians lived in Ohio, but after the Europeans arrived they migrated to Illinois, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Georgia. The Shawnee indians lived along the Savannah river in South Georgia. The Shawnee indians houses were round wigwams, which are a type of Native American house. Shawnee men hunt, while Shawnee women farm, cook, and take care of the children. In the 1790s the Shawnee were part of a Northwest Indian war. In 1794, the Shawnee had to surrender most of their land in Ohio by signing the treaty of Greenville. The Shawnee indians lived along the grey line on the map.
Yuchi Indians
The Yuchi Indians lived along the Savannah river before they moved to Augusta(Silver Bluff). In 1680, after they moved to Augusta they moved to the Ocmulgee fields and the Ogeechee River. After the creek were defeated by South Carolina in the Yamasee war, they had to move to the Chattahoochee Valley. The Yuchi tribe isn’t federally recognized by the United States, this means they don’t have a reservation or their own government. Instead the US government believes the Yuchi are part of the Creek tribe. The Yuchi indians language is a language isolate, that means it’s very unique. Most present day Yuchi indians speak english and their traditional Yuchi language is endangered. Men of the Yuchi tribe hunt and go to war, while the women farmed, cooked, and took care of the children. The Yuchi indians are located on the black area and line on the map.