Oklahoma:Oklahoma: Land of ContrastsLand of Contrasts

Chapter 7:Chapter 7:

New Land, New Beginnings New Land, New Beginnings

©2006 Clairmont Press

Overview• The Five Nations resettled in Indian Territory are

now an important part of the culture and economics of Oklahoma.

• Forts are established and trading and surveying of land take place.

• Texas wins independence (Mexico no longer borders Oklahoma)

• “The Golden Years of the Indians”

Cherokee

Sketch this map as best as you can in your notes

Negotiating PeaceNegotiating Peace• Cutthroat Gap Massacre (1833) –

– led by Osage against Kiowa; led to push for negotiations and military force to stop attacks

• General Henry Leavenworth – led 4000 highly armed and ornamented

mounted troops (dragoons) to region to impress Indians with their military power (1834)

• Camp Mason (1835) – established for further negotiations – ended

with treaty to allow peace among tribes and with traders

New FortsNew Forts

• Fort Coffee (1834): – near Swallow Rock on

Arkansas River – served as entry point for relocated Choctaw, site for stopping whisky imports; became academy for Choctaw boys

• Fort Wayne (1838), Fort Durant (1842), and Fort Arbuckle (1851) – founded to protect

Cherokee, Chickasaw, and Choctaw

Fort CoffeeFort WayneFort DurantFort Arbuckle

Surveying the LandSurveying the Land• Confusion and conflict resulted from

treaties signed without precise land survey

• Isaac McCoy (1831) – commissioned to survey Cherokee

Nation

• Full surveys not complete until 1866

Surrounding ChangesSurrounding Changes• Panhandle claimed by Mexico until Texas’

claim in 1836• Texans refused to follow Mexican laws (no

slavery, convert to Catholicism) and stop American immigrants

• Battle of the Alamo (1836): – Texans defeated but became legendary – Mexico (Gen. Santa Anna) defeated at San

Jacinto and Texans won independence– Statehood of Arkansas (1836) and Texas

(1845) resulted in relocation of 10,000 Native Americans to Indian Territory

Section 2: Adapting to Indian Section 2: Adapting to Indian TerritoryTerritory

ESSENTIAL QUESTION:– How did the various tribes settle

and govern themselves in Indian Territory?

Adapting to Indian TerritoryAdapting to Indian Territory

• Condition of Indians– Most had lost all possessions; many had

died or were sick– U.S. promises for tools, household

goods, livestock, money, etc. were not fulfilled

– Crude shelters were made, but food was scarce

– Many tribal leaders died in conflicts before removal

The Five NationsThe Five Nations

• Needs of Indians–Government had to be

established to regain order–Farms, homes, towns, schools

had to be built• Some had money; some did not

ChoctawChoctaw

• 1825: – Choctaw constitution

written in Mississippi

• 1833 Wheelock Academy– First Choctaw school

• 1834: – site for national council and

new constitution – bill of rights added

• 1860 – Capital established in

Doaksville

• Government led by 27-member council

ChoctawChoctaw

• Newspapers: – The Choctaw Telegraph (1848) – Choctaw Intelligencer (1850)

• Slaves were used as labor on growing plantations

• Fort Towson (1854)– became capital as population moved toward Red

River. Major fort for Chickasaw and Choctaw.

• Light Horsemen – policed the area – carried few supplies and no heavy

equipment

CreekCreek• Muscogee Confederacy relocated the Creek into 2

groups:– Lower Creeks (1827);

• along Arkansas & Verdigris rivers in NE Indian Territory

• Upper Creeks (1836-1837); – along Canadian River

• Homes were log cabins• Each town (talwa) had its own leader and

government (chief, subchief, lawyers to enforce laws)

• 1839: – the two groups created a National Council at High

Springs; now Council Hill, OK

Muscogee Creek Nation

Council Hill

CreekCreek• Light Horse

– became the policemen• 1860:

– constitution written with a central government• First principal chiefs:

– Motey Kennard (Lower Creek); Echo Harjo (Upper Creek)

ChickasawChickasaw• Chickasaw district was within in Choctaw• Cyrus Harris

– built home in Old Boggy Depot; Harris was governor (1856-1858 & 1866-1870)

• Raised many crops to sell; supplied emigrants to Texas and California (gold rush)

• Light Horsemen – tried to stop desperados, whiskey runners, and raids

of hostile Indians• 1848

– Methodist missionaries started Chickasaw Academy

Old Boggy Depot

ChickasawChickasaw

• Tishomingo constitution (1856-1906) – had three branches of government and four counties

• The Chickasaw and Choctaw Herald (1858) – was published in Tishomingo City in English since

most of the readers read and spoke English

CherokeeCherokee

• Arkansas (Western) Cherokee – led by John Jolly in 1820s -1838

• John Ross – was leader of Eastern Cherokee in 1820s and led

development of constitutional government

• New compromise constitution– joined the people on July 13, 1839 with Ross as

principal chief

• Tahlequah – became capital in 1840, but the two sides had trouble

getting along

Cherokee

Tahlequah

SeminoleSeminole

• Seminole – had trouble adjusting to cold climate

• Refused to live under Creek government• 1845

– treaty gave Seminole their own area to govern and protect their legal rights

• Most (along with their slaves) moved to area between Deep Fork and Canadian Rivers, though the issue of slaves and free blacks continued to be a problem

Cherokee

Ft. CobbFt. Cobb

• Fort Cobb – built in Wichita Mountains to protect against hostile

Plains Indians– Eventually becomes Fort Sill (Major US Army base)