The Five Civilized Tribes: Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Seminole

by Grant Foreman

Side by side with the westward drift of white Americans in the 1830's was the forced migration of the Five Civilized Tribes from Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. Both groups were deployed against the tribes of the prairies, both breaking the soil of the undeveloped hinterland. Both were striving in the years before the Civil War to found schools, churches, and towns, as well as to preserve orderly development through government and laws. In this book Grant Foreman brings to light the singular effect the westward movement of Indians had in the cultivation and settlement of the Trans-Mississippi region. It shows the Indian genius at its best and conveys the importance of the Cherokees, Chickasaws, Choctaws, Creeks, and Seminoles to the nascent culture of the plains. Their achievements between 1830 and 1860 were of vast importance in the making of America.

Genres: History, American History, Indigenous, Nonfiction, Anthropology, Native Americans, Native American History

478 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 1971

Reviews

[Runningfox · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brief history of the five so called Civilized Amrican Indian Tribes..Cherokee-Chickasaw-Creek and Seminole..I said so called because I believe all the American Indian Tribes were more civilized than the European Invaders, of course I am prejudiced in my thinking on this subject because I am an American Indian...

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

ORPL due 2010.0626

This book describes what went on with the Chickasaw, Choctaw, Seminole, Creek (Muskogee), and Cherokee between the time they were forced to relocate from the southeast to the area that would become Oklahoma (which means "red people" in Choctaw) in the early 1800's until the beginning of the Civil War. The writing style seems somewhat old-fashioned, but it's still a fascinating story. We are introduced to many of the personalities, both Indian and white, who were involved.

[Gheist · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this one quite difficult, but rather enlightening. The one I have was printed at a university press and is generally intended to be referred to for studying reasons rather than to be read cover to cover. I'd only recommend this one if you already have a overt understanding of their history and would like to delve into the finer details.

I have very little knowledge of Indian and nomadic tribes in the new world. US history is not my strong point and this book gives a detailed overview of their development around the beginning of the 19th century. Sourcing a very fascinating array of first hand accounts and what the civilised tribes where like and the issues they faced.

The books language can be a bit tricky to fully grasp that maybe a skill issue on my part but if my dyslexic brain can manage I'm sure most people will too. It does have a tendency to get lost in details about how many bushels of hay and crops are accounted for at certain points, but that's most likely characteristic of this book being an academic record.

Overall I enjoyed it and learned something new and will likely keep an eye out for any other books like it around this subject.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reprint of a text from 1934. It tells the history of five tribes Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole from a white man point of view. It tells mainly of the time of the resettlement (1830-1840) of the Native Americans into the Arkansas and Oklahoma area and showed how the bungling of the white man led to their greatest misery.

It is a good history lesson as you must read between the lines as much as the written lines themselves. I mainly read it to learn of the Seminoles of my state of Florida and my heart was greatly saddened by what they endured. It is written in what seem like old time writing style of historians of that day that takes a "bit of getting used to"..

[Kev · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, still, all these many years later. Essential reading.