The Taking of American Indian Lands in the Southeast

Between the time of the settling of Jamestown and the Trail of Tears in the 1830’s, thousands of American Indians were induced to cede their lands to European settlers and move westward. This book, with the aid of maps and pictures, relies primarily on the words of those involved to provide1an historical accounting of the forced relocations. Presidential policies are examined, as well as the various ways in which the Indians attempted to maintain their cultural identity during these upheavals. Cultural and community splits within the Creek, Cherokee and Seminole nations are also explored in detail.

David W. Miller is a retired naval officer, Department of Justice attorney and federal administrative law judge. The author of three other books, he lives in Springfield, Virginia.

David W. Miller
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 230
Bibliographic Info: 8 illustrations, 12 maps, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2011
pISBN: 978-0-7864-6277-3
eISBN: 978-0-7864-8569-7
Imprint: McFarland

Preface      1

1. Before European Intrusion and Early Patterns of Exploitation      3

2. Jamestown      6

3. Pushing West from the Virginia Coastal Region (1646–1687)      11

4. England and France Compete and Clash      14

5. The Cherokee and the French and Indian War      16

6. The Carolinas, Georgia, and the Southern Tribes (1663–1763)      20

7. Southern Tribes after the Proclamation of 1763 (1763–1775)      28

8. Virginia and the Cherokee Agree on a Boundary (1768–1771)      35

9. Land Grabbers and Early Kentucky Settlements      40

10. The Southern Frontier during the War Years (1775–1783)      46

11. The Creek and a Vacillating Partner (1783–1789)      52

12. The Creek Deal with the Federal Government and Spain (1789–1795)      58

13. The Chickasaw and Choctaw (1783–1795)      64

14. Benjamin Hawkins Leads      68

15. The Cherokee, State of Franklin, and North Carolina      72

16. The Cherokee, the Creek, the Chickamauga, and the New Federal Government (1789–1796)      80

17. Blount’s Downfall and a 1797 Treaty Line      88

18. Jefferson and the Southern Nations (1801–1809)      92

19. Jefferson after the Louisiana Purchase and Anarchy in 1810      98

20. The Creek War (1813–1814)      106

21. Andrew Jackson’s 20 Million Acres and the Battle of New Orleans (1814–1815)      114

22. Exploiting the Mississippi Territory (1815–1816)      118

23. The Cherokee of the East and West (1817–1828)      125

24. The Chickasaw and Choctaw (1816–1820)      129

25. The Creek (1818–1829)      134

26. Jackson and Florida (1816–1829)      137

27. Removal to the West—Choctaw      146

28. Removal to the West—Chickasaw      152

29. The Betrayal of the Creek      158

30. Seminole Saga      164

31. The Cherokee versus Georgia      172

32. Cherokee Intransigence      178

33. The Trail of Tears      186

34. After the Exodus      193

Chapter Notes      199

Bibliography      211

Index      217

“this work describes the forced relocations of the Chicksaw, Choctaw, Seminole, and Cherokee tribes from their land in the American Southeast”—Reference & Research Book News.