The Five Civilized Tribes
Why are The Five Civilized Tribes called that?
The Five Civilized Tribes are the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek (Muskogee), Seminole, and Cherokee tribes. How did these tribes come to be called the Five Civilized Tribes?
This is best answered by answering some other questions about the Five Civilized tribes
What was the history of the Choctaw and Chickasaw before the American Revolution?
The Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes are closely related. According to their oral history, their ancestors lived in the northwest United States, until a famine brought on by a long drought forced them to migrate in search of a land with a suitable food supply. So two brothers, Chahta and Chikasa, led a large group of Native Americans in a southeast direction for a long time. Their journey was slowed by their efforts to bring the bones of their ancestors with them. Finally, they came to the Mississippi River and migrated east from there until they reached Ninih Waiya (near present-day Philadelphia, Mississippi). (The mounds appear to have already been built when they arrived.) Their entire journey took forty-three years.
Core samples from bristle cone pines, the oldest trees in the world, show, that there was indeed a drought, which lasted well over a decade in the western United States, hundreds of years before European contact.
The group following Chahta camped on the south side of a creek in the area, while the group following Chikasa camped on the north side. Then the creek flooded and became impassable for a while. After the flood ended, the two groups decided to stay on their respective sides of the creek. Those on the south side, who followed Chahta became the Choctaw tribe, and expanded southwards. Those on the north side, who followed Chikasa, became the Chickasaw tribe and expanded northward.
Their DNA and languages support this claim of coming from the same family.
They were well established in Mississippi and parts of neighboring states, when Europeans first encountered them. They were already living in towns at that time.
What was the history of the Creek (Muskogee) before the American Revolution?
The Creek oral history tells of how they migrated from west Mexico into the lowlands of Georgia and parts of surrounding states, where they settled and created an empire led by their first emperor, somewhere around 800 AD.
There is evidence of this, like the discover of statues, similar to those produced by the Olmec of western Mexico, in the part of Georgia where the capital of this empire was located. The mounds of this area are the same shape and structure as the funeral temple mounds of the Olmec. Funeral shafts, similar to those under the funeral temple mounds of the Olmec, have been found under some these mounds as well. Some of the remaining full blood Creek natives in Alabama have very similar looking faces to those on the giant head statues left by the Olmec.
Afterwards, their oral history tells that their empire developed a large trading network, which extended via sea travel to a land far to the south.
This story is supported by DNA evidence of full blood Creek. Their DNA shows that many are related to the Chibcha tribes in Venezuela, who have a mixture of North American native DNA and South American native DNA.
The Creek could have been traveling back and forth for trade through Florida to Venezuela via the Caribbean Islands over a long period of time. There is a record from the voyages of Columbus of canoes, that were the length of a galley (about 165 foot long (50 meters)) encountered by him in the Caribbean, which were laden with trade items.
This trade would have led to the Creek tribe intermarrying with Chibcha tribes, which would explain this mixture of two Native American DNA groups in the Creek and the Chibcha. It also explains the presence of some Carrib words in the language of the Creek, when Europeans first encountered them.
Their oral history also tells that later their empire began disintegrating due to internal fighting. Their empire came to an end shortly before European contact.
However, they remained loosely aligned, until contact with Europeans forced them to pull together to maintain their identity and protect themselves from the Europeans. They were already living in towns for hundred years before the day when worlds collided.
What was the history of the Seminole before the American Revolution?
The Seminole tribe did not exist until after 1700 AD. It was composed of smaller tribes native to Florida, bands of members of the Creek tribe, and runaway slaves, who fled to Florida to escape problems caused by European settlers in Georgia and Alabama. This mixed group eventually formed its own identity as a distinct tribe.
They worked among the Spanish as cattle ranchers and pirates. They were already living in towns by the start of the American Revolution.
What was the history of the Cherokee before the American Revolution?
The Cherokee have a long and detailed oral history of their migration.
They came from the Great Lakes region to the mountains of eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina before European contact. (They were not in Georgia and the lowland areas of surrounding states when Europeans first came into these areas. They moved into these areas as the Creek were forced out after European contact.) This is evidenced by their language being part of the Iroquois language family.
They came to the Great Lakes region from the northeastern region of the United States. This is attested to by the oral history of other tribes from that area, which told about how the Cherokee lived among them before moving west.
Their history tells that their ancestors came across the great waters (Atlantic Ocean) in giant canoes from nine islands far to the east, when the tops of these islands burst into flames. This matches evidence found in the Azores.
Their history states that they were driven to these nine island to escape persecution in a land to the east, which today is Portugal.
The evidence supporting their oral history is one reason that the state of Israel has The Cherokee listed as the only Native American tribe as possibly belonging to the lost tribes of Israel.
They were already living in walled towns by the time of European contact.
How were these tribes living at the time of the American Revolution?
These five tribes were already living in towns and otherwise acting in a civilized manner when the American Revolution began. They had already adopted many European American customs that they found useful. For this reason, these five tribes were considered to be civilized by many European Americans by the time of the American Revolution. So, they came to be called the Five Civilized Tribes.
What effect did the American Revolution have on the Five Civilized Tribes?
In the American Revolution, the Cherokee fought on the side of the British against the Americans. Cherokee began moving into the land that became the state of Arkansas in 1780 AD to escape being in the jurisdiction of the United States, if it should win the American Revolution. They were the first of the Old Settler Cherokees.
(This area was under the control of the Spanish, who had continued with the status quo after obtaining New France from France in 1762 AD. France only had trade relationships with the Native Americans in New France.)
After the United States won that war, the Cherokee fought on the side of the Spanish against the Americans. Eventually, Spain made peace with the Americans, and the Cherokee ceased to fight against the Americans.
President George Washington encouraged The Five Civilized Tribes to become more civilized, after the Cherokee-American Wars ended in 1795 AD. He had conducted treaties with them as autonomous nations inside the United States. (Hence the title of "Nation" for these tribes)
The Five Civilized Tribes were to live in the areas that they had occupied at the end of the Cherokee-American Wars. The federal government would supply them with what they needed to learn to live as Americans. They would only be subject to Federal Law and the laws of their own nation.
The Five Civilized Tribes were recognized as autonomous nations that were dependent upon the United States for protection. State laws did not apply on the land of these tribes, only federal law did. Even federal law was subject to the terms of the treaty that each tribe had made with the US government.
How did George Washington treat the Five Civilized Tribes?
Washington consider the Native Americans to be biologically equal to European Americans. Contrary to the attitude of many European Americans, he considered murder of a Native American to be equal with murder of a European American. He was ready and willing to have anyone hung who murdered a Native American.
However, Washington also considered the Native Americans to be less advance in their societies than European Americans. He wanted to bring their societies up to the same standard of civilization as that of European Americans. He presumed that when these Native Americans were living like European Americans, then there would be acceptance of the Native Americans as equals by the European Americans.
His Secretary of War, Henry Knox, was also concerned about protecting the Native Americans. Some European Americans said that the Native Americans could not be civilized and had to be exterminated. He stated that this was a lie to justify their desire to exterminate the Native Americans in order to steal their land. He believed that if Native Americans adhered to the same standards of civilization as European Americans, then this threat to their survival would end.
In order to accomplish this, Washington worked with Secretary of War Henry Knox to pursue cultural transformation of the Native Americans, starting with the Five Civilized Tribes. They believed that the Native Americans needed to adopt the practices of private property, building family homes, farming, educating their children in schools, and embracing Christianity to be able to be integrated with the European Americans.
In order to accomplish this, Washington came up with a six point plan. This plan included impartial justice towards Native Americans, regulated buying of their land for a fair price, promotion of commerce among Native Americans, experiments to improve their societies to become more like European American society, presidential authority to give presents to Native Americans to help them meet these goals, and punishment of all who violated the rights of Native Americans.
Washington was even willing to send federal troops to protect Native Americans from state militias.
Finally, he sent agents to live among the Native Americans to teach them how to do these things.
One of these was Benjamin Hawkins, who married a Creek woman and spent the rest of his life teaching the Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Cherokee how to do these things.
As a result, by the time George Washington died in 1799 AD, the Five Civilized Tribes were had established schools, took up farming, converted to Christianity, and lived in European American style houses.
What inspired George Washington to treat the Five Civilized Tribes fairly?
George Washington was one of the Children of Truth (those who obey The Father of Truth because they love Him). His faith in the Man of Truth (Yeshua HaMashiach aka Jesus Christ) caused him to live differently. He did not just say that he was a Christian, but he had the evidence of faith in everything that he did.
George Washington lived like he would have to give an account of his life to the Father of Truth (YHVH aka God aka THE LORD). He was willing to do whatever was necessary to ensure that the United States kept the treaties it made with the Native Americans as long as he was President. He wanted the Native Americans to be able to see what the Father of Truth is like.
George Washington believed the words of the preamble of the Constitution, when it said that all men were created equal. He had no tolerance for the Spirit of Anti-Jewism or any other ancestry based prejudice.
(George Washington even freed all his African American slaves in his will. This was the only way he could free them under the laws of Virginia at the time.)
So, George Washington sought the good of Native Americans, because he believed what the Book of Truth (The Bible) said about them. He knew that the hope of the Native Americans was depended upon them coming into the House of Truth.
George Washington believed that the Father of Truth had made all ethnic groups, including Native Americans, to have the same blood from a common ancestor flowing through their veins, and had provided a place for each of them to live (Acts 17:26). He believed that the Father of Truth was not willing for anyone to perish, including Native Americans (2 Peter 3:9).
George Washington believed that there was no difference between ethnic groups in the House of Truth (Galatians 3:26-28). He believed that once Native Americans came into the House of Truth, there would be no difference between them and European Americans who came into the House of Truth (Colossians 3:9-11).
George Washington believed that that the law should apply to everyone equally as the Father of Truth had commanded (Leviticus 24:22). He believed that rulers were not to show partiality when they administered justice (Deuteronomy 1:17). His faith kept him from showing partiality between people (James 2:1).
George Washington believed that whatever he promised before the Father of Truth, like the treaties with the Five Civilized Nations that he made with an oath, had to be performed (Numbers 30:2). He believed in keeping his agreements, even if they turned out to be harmful (Psalm 15:2-4). He believed in keeping his agreements, and not trying to alter them when the circumstances changed (Psalm 89:34). His yes meant yes, and his no meant no (Matthew 5:37).
George Washington believed that if he showed Native Americans the goodness of the Father of Truth, then that would lead them into the House of Truth (Romans 2:4).
The same is true for you, rather or not you have Native American ancestry. The Father of Truth is calling you to experience His goodness for yourself (Psalm 34:8). He has made a peace treaty available to you through the death, burial, and resurrection of the Man of Truth (Romans 5:1).
So, take His offer of peace by surrendering to the Man of Truth, because you believe that his Father raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9).
Come into the House of Truth!
The Five Civilized Tribes are the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek (Muskogee), Seminole, and Cherokee tribes. How did these tribes come to be called the Five Civilized Tribes?
This is best answered by answering some other questions about the Five Civilized tribes
What was the history of the Choctaw and Chickasaw before the American Revolution?
The Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes are closely related. According to their oral history, their ancestors lived in the northwest United States, until a famine brought on by a long drought forced them to migrate in search of a land with a suitable food supply. So two brothers, Chahta and Chikasa, led a large group of Native Americans in a southeast direction for a long time. Their journey was slowed by their efforts to bring the bones of their ancestors with them. Finally, they came to the Mississippi River and migrated east from there until they reached Ninih Waiya (near present-day Philadelphia, Mississippi). (The mounds appear to have already been built when they arrived.) Their entire journey took forty-three years.
Core samples from bristle cone pines, the oldest trees in the world, show, that there was indeed a drought, which lasted well over a decade in the western United States, hundreds of years before European contact.
The group following Chahta camped on the south side of a creek in the area, while the group following Chikasa camped on the north side. Then the creek flooded and became impassable for a while. After the flood ended, the two groups decided to stay on their respective sides of the creek. Those on the south side, who followed Chahta became the Choctaw tribe, and expanded southwards. Those on the north side, who followed Chikasa, became the Chickasaw tribe and expanded northward.
Their DNA and languages support this claim of coming from the same family.
They were well established in Mississippi and parts of neighboring states, when Europeans first encountered them. They were already living in towns at that time.
What was the history of the Creek (Muskogee) before the American Revolution?
The Creek oral history tells of how they migrated from west Mexico into the lowlands of Georgia and parts of surrounding states, where they settled and created an empire led by their first emperor, somewhere around 800 AD.
There is evidence of this, like the discover of statues, similar to those produced by the Olmec of western Mexico, in the part of Georgia where the capital of this empire was located. The mounds of this area are the same shape and structure as the funeral temple mounds of the Olmec. Funeral shafts, similar to those under the funeral temple mounds of the Olmec, have been found under some these mounds as well. Some of the remaining full blood Creek natives in Alabama have very similar looking faces to those on the giant head statues left by the Olmec.
Afterwards, their oral history tells that their empire developed a large trading network, which extended via sea travel to a land far to the south.
This story is supported by DNA evidence of full blood Creek. Their DNA shows that many are related to the Chibcha tribes in Venezuela, who have a mixture of North American native DNA and South American native DNA.
The Creek could have been traveling back and forth for trade through Florida to Venezuela via the Caribbean Islands over a long period of time. There is a record from the voyages of Columbus of canoes, that were the length of a galley (about 165 foot long (50 meters)) encountered by him in the Caribbean, which were laden with trade items.
This trade would have led to the Creek tribe intermarrying with Chibcha tribes, which would explain this mixture of two Native American DNA groups in the Creek and the Chibcha. It also explains the presence of some Carrib words in the language of the Creek, when Europeans first encountered them.
Their oral history also tells that later their empire began disintegrating due to internal fighting. Their empire came to an end shortly before European contact.
However, they remained loosely aligned, until contact with Europeans forced them to pull together to maintain their identity and protect themselves from the Europeans. They were already living in towns for hundred years before the day when worlds collided.
What was the history of the Seminole before the American Revolution?
The Seminole tribe did not exist until after 1700 AD. It was composed of smaller tribes native to Florida, bands of members of the Creek tribe, and runaway slaves, who fled to Florida to escape problems caused by European settlers in Georgia and Alabama. This mixed group eventually formed its own identity as a distinct tribe.
They worked among the Spanish as cattle ranchers and pirates. They were already living in towns by the start of the American Revolution.
What was the history of the Cherokee before the American Revolution?
The Cherokee have a long and detailed oral history of their migration.
They came from the Great Lakes region to the mountains of eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina before European contact. (They were not in Georgia and the lowland areas of surrounding states when Europeans first came into these areas. They moved into these areas as the Creek were forced out after European contact.) This is evidenced by their language being part of the Iroquois language family.
They came to the Great Lakes region from the northeastern region of the United States. This is attested to by the oral history of other tribes from that area, which told about how the Cherokee lived among them before moving west.
Their history tells that their ancestors came across the great waters (Atlantic Ocean) in giant canoes from nine islands far to the east, when the tops of these islands burst into flames. This matches evidence found in the Azores.
Their history states that they were driven to these nine island to escape persecution in a land to the east, which today is Portugal.
The evidence supporting their oral history is one reason that the state of Israel has The Cherokee listed as the only Native American tribe as possibly belonging to the lost tribes of Israel.
They were already living in walled towns by the time of European contact.
How were these tribes living at the time of the American Revolution?
These five tribes were already living in towns and otherwise acting in a civilized manner when the American Revolution began. They had already adopted many European American customs that they found useful. For this reason, these five tribes were considered to be civilized by many European Americans by the time of the American Revolution. So, they came to be called the Five Civilized Tribes.
What effect did the American Revolution have on the Five Civilized Tribes?
In the American Revolution, the Cherokee fought on the side of the British against the Americans. Cherokee began moving into the land that became the state of Arkansas in 1780 AD to escape being in the jurisdiction of the United States, if it should win the American Revolution. They were the first of the Old Settler Cherokees.
(This area was under the control of the Spanish, who had continued with the status quo after obtaining New France from France in 1762 AD. France only had trade relationships with the Native Americans in New France.)
After the United States won that war, the Cherokee fought on the side of the Spanish against the Americans. Eventually, Spain made peace with the Americans, and the Cherokee ceased to fight against the Americans.
President George Washington encouraged The Five Civilized Tribes to become more civilized, after the Cherokee-American Wars ended in 1795 AD. He had conducted treaties with them as autonomous nations inside the United States. (Hence the title of "Nation" for these tribes)
The Five Civilized Tribes were to live in the areas that they had occupied at the end of the Cherokee-American Wars. The federal government would supply them with what they needed to learn to live as Americans. They would only be subject to Federal Law and the laws of their own nation.
The Five Civilized Tribes were recognized as autonomous nations that were dependent upon the United States for protection. State laws did not apply on the land of these tribes, only federal law did. Even federal law was subject to the terms of the treaty that each tribe had made with the US government.
How did George Washington treat the Five Civilized Tribes?
Washington consider the Native Americans to be biologically equal to European Americans. Contrary to the attitude of many European Americans, he considered murder of a Native American to be equal with murder of a European American. He was ready and willing to have anyone hung who murdered a Native American.
However, Washington also considered the Native Americans to be less advance in their societies than European Americans. He wanted to bring their societies up to the same standard of civilization as that of European Americans. He presumed that when these Native Americans were living like European Americans, then there would be acceptance of the Native Americans as equals by the European Americans.
His Secretary of War, Henry Knox, was also concerned about protecting the Native Americans. Some European Americans said that the Native Americans could not be civilized and had to be exterminated. He stated that this was a lie to justify their desire to exterminate the Native Americans in order to steal their land. He believed that if Native Americans adhered to the same standards of civilization as European Americans, then this threat to their survival would end.
In order to accomplish this, Washington worked with Secretary of War Henry Knox to pursue cultural transformation of the Native Americans, starting with the Five Civilized Tribes. They believed that the Native Americans needed to adopt the practices of private property, building family homes, farming, educating their children in schools, and embracing Christianity to be able to be integrated with the European Americans.
In order to accomplish this, Washington came up with a six point plan. This plan included impartial justice towards Native Americans, regulated buying of their land for a fair price, promotion of commerce among Native Americans, experiments to improve their societies to become more like European American society, presidential authority to give presents to Native Americans to help them meet these goals, and punishment of all who violated the rights of Native Americans.
Washington was even willing to send federal troops to protect Native Americans from state militias.
Finally, he sent agents to live among the Native Americans to teach them how to do these things.
One of these was Benjamin Hawkins, who married a Creek woman and spent the rest of his life teaching the Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Cherokee how to do these things.
As a result, by the time George Washington died in 1799 AD, the Five Civilized Tribes were had established schools, took up farming, converted to Christianity, and lived in European American style houses.
What inspired George Washington to treat the Five Civilized Tribes fairly?
George Washington was one of the Children of Truth (those who obey The Father of Truth because they love Him). His faith in the Man of Truth (Yeshua HaMashiach aka Jesus Christ) caused him to live differently. He did not just say that he was a Christian, but he had the evidence of faith in everything that he did.
George Washington lived like he would have to give an account of his life to the Father of Truth (YHVH aka God aka THE LORD). He was willing to do whatever was necessary to ensure that the United States kept the treaties it made with the Native Americans as long as he was President. He wanted the Native Americans to be able to see what the Father of Truth is like.
George Washington believed the words of the preamble of the Constitution, when it said that all men were created equal. He had no tolerance for the Spirit of Anti-Jewism or any other ancestry based prejudice.
(George Washington even freed all his African American slaves in his will. This was the only way he could free them under the laws of Virginia at the time.)
So, George Washington sought the good of Native Americans, because he believed what the Book of Truth (The Bible) said about them. He knew that the hope of the Native Americans was depended upon them coming into the House of Truth.
George Washington believed that the Father of Truth had made all ethnic groups, including Native Americans, to have the same blood from a common ancestor flowing through their veins, and had provided a place for each of them to live (Acts 17:26). He believed that the Father of Truth was not willing for anyone to perish, including Native Americans (2 Peter 3:9).
George Washington believed that there was no difference between ethnic groups in the House of Truth (Galatians 3:26-28). He believed that once Native Americans came into the House of Truth, there would be no difference between them and European Americans who came into the House of Truth (Colossians 3:9-11).
George Washington believed that that the law should apply to everyone equally as the Father of Truth had commanded (Leviticus 24:22). He believed that rulers were not to show partiality when they administered justice (Deuteronomy 1:17). His faith kept him from showing partiality between people (James 2:1).
George Washington believed that whatever he promised before the Father of Truth, like the treaties with the Five Civilized Nations that he made with an oath, had to be performed (Numbers 30:2). He believed in keeping his agreements, even if they turned out to be harmful (Psalm 15:2-4). He believed in keeping his agreements, and not trying to alter them when the circumstances changed (Psalm 89:34). His yes meant yes, and his no meant no (Matthew 5:37).
George Washington believed that if he showed Native Americans the goodness of the Father of Truth, then that would lead them into the House of Truth (Romans 2:4).
The same is true for you, rather or not you have Native American ancestry. The Father of Truth is calling you to experience His goodness for yourself (Psalm 34:8). He has made a peace treaty available to you through the death, burial, and resurrection of the Man of Truth (Romans 5:1).
So, take His offer of peace by surrendering to the Man of Truth, because you believe that his Father raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9).
Come into the House of Truth!
Labels: Five Civilized Tribes, George Washington, History, Native Americans
posted by The House Of Truth @ November 17, 2019
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