What is the Seminole Native tribe?
The Seminole Tribe started taking bets on November ... The Department of Interior is involved because it’s Bureau of Indian Affairs is in charge of regulating Indian gaming nationwide.
What was the Seminole life like?
The Seminoles located their new villages in the Everglades, a patchwork of dense thickets and wetlands that provided protective isolation from outsiders.
What language do the Seminoles speak?
What language do Seminoles speak?
- Christianity. Indigenous peoples have practiced Green Corn rituals for centuries. Similarly, what is the difference between Seminole and Miccosukee?
- Miccosukee. Tribe of Indians of Florida in 1962. What is Seminole patchwork?
- Seminole patchwork
What was the population of the Seminole Tribe?
The indigenous population of the Florida peninsula, estimated at 200,000 in 1500, is less than 3,000 today. Meanwhile, the total current population of Florida exceeds 14 million. The Seminoles, Miccosukees and related Indians have struggled to survive in Florida despite heavy odds, including three undeclared wars with the United States.
What shelter did the Seminole tribe live in?
chickeesWhat kind of homes did they live in? The Seminole people originally lived in log cabins in North Florida, but when they were forced to move to the swampy lands of Southern Florida they lived in homes called chickees. A chickee had a raised floor, a thatched roof supported by wooden posts, and open sides.
What kind of housing did the Seminole tribe have?
Seminole Indians lived in a home called a Chickee. A chickee was a house built on stilts usually about three or four feet above the ground. A chickee was usually about nine feet wide and sixteen feet long, with a wooden platform which served as the floor and a thatched roof.
What did the Seminole houses look like?
The ancestors of the Seminoles living in Alabama and Georgia lived in Wattle and Daub Houses. These homes were built using a frame of poles and beams covered with wattle and daub mud. The walls were then covered by cane mats and a thatched grass roof. The early Seminole in Florida lived in stilt houses called chickees.
How did the Seminole tribe build their houses?
A new era of engineered housing evolved for the Seminoles called the "chickee." The chickee was constructed with cypress logs and palm thatch leaves woven together by vines or thin ropes.
What is Wigwam house?
A wigwam is a domed or cone-shaped house that was historically used by Indigenous peoples. It was prevalent in the eastern half of North America before the era of colonization. Today, wigwams are used for cultural functions and ceremonial purposes. (See also Architectural History of Indigenous Peoples in Canada.)
When was the first longhouse built?
The Neolithic long house type was introduced with the first farmers of central and western Europe around 5000 BCE, 7,000 years ago. These were farming settlements built in groups of six to twelve and were home to large extended families and kin.
What did the Seminole tribe sleep on?
Seminole families slept in their chickee at night. Their beds of hides or blankets were called "comfortables". Comfortables were rolled up and hung from the rafters during the day. They had very little other furniture, perhaps a chair, a table, and a few colorful baskets.
What did the Seminole use for clothing?
Seminole men wore Native breechclouts. Seminole women wore wraparound skirts, usually woven from palmetto. Shirts were not necessary in Seminole culture, but men and women both wore poncho-style mantles in cool weather. Like most Native Americans, the Seminoles wore moccasins on their feet.
What was Seminole daily life like?
Seminoles did not stay in their village year around. They were often on the move, camping near harvest areas or off hunting. If someone came by and found a village deserted, they were welcome to spend the night. There were no locks.
Which tribes once lived in earth houses?
Tribes most frequently associated with earth-lodge architecture include the Mandans, Hidatsas, Arikaras, Pawnees, Otoes, Kansas, Omahas, and Poncas, although several other groups also adopted the style. The origins of the earth lodge are not entirely clear, although it was certainly a Northern Plains innovation.
What was a chickee roof made of?
A new era of engineered housing evolved for the Seminoles called the "chickee." The chickee was constructed with cypress logs and palm thatch leaves woven together by vines or thin ropes.
What does a chickee hut look like?
A chickee is a structure marked by a raised floor, thatched roof, and open sides. Chickee huts were adopted by the Seminole tribe during the 1850s as the US Army pushed them deeper into the Everglades. The structures, built using a cypress frame and palmetto thatches, were easily built quickly.
What was the first war between the Seminoles and the Americans?
After the United States achieved independence, settlers in Georgia increased pressure on Seminole lands, and skirmishes near the border led to the First Seminole War (1816–19). The United States purchased Florida from Spain by the Adams-Onis Treaty (1819) and took possession in 1821. The Seminole were moved out of their rich farmland in northern Florida and confined to a large reservation in the interior of the Florida peninsula by the Treaty of Moultrie Creek (1823). Passage of the Indian Removal Act (1830) led to the Treaty of Payne's Landing (1832), which called for the relocation of all Seminole to Indian Territory (now Oklahoma ). Some resisted, leading to the Second Seminole War, the bloodiest war against Native Americans in Unites States history. By 1842, however, most Seminoles and Black Seminoles, facing starvation, were removed to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River. Perhaps fewer than 200 Seminoles remained in Florida after the Third Seminole War (1855–1858), having taken refuge in the Everglades, from where they never surrendered to the US. They fostered a resurgence in traditional customs and a culture of staunch independence.
Why did the Seminole people separate?
During the Seminole Wars, the Seminole people began to separate due to the conflict and differences in ideology. The Seminole population had also been growing significantly, though it was diminished by the wars. With the division of the Seminole population between Oklahoma and Florida, some traditions such as powwow trails and ceremonies were maintained among them. In general, the cultures grew apart and had little contact for a century. The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, and the Seminole Tribe of Florida and Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, described below, are federally recognized, independent nations that operate in their own spheres.
Why did the Seminoles raise cattle?
The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) hoped that the cattle raising would teach Seminoles to become citizens by adapting to agricultural settlements. The BIA also hoped that this program would lead to Seminole self-sufficiency. Cattle owners realized that by using their cattle as equity, they could engage in "new capital-intensive pursuits", such as housing.
What act led to the relocation of all Seminoles to Indian Territory in Oklahoma?
Passage of the Indian Removal Act (1830) led to the Treaty of Payne's Landing (1832), which called for the relocation of all Seminoles to Indian Territory in Oklahoma. Some resisted, leading to the Second Seminole War, the bloodiest war against Native Americas in Unites States history.
How many Seminoles were removed from Oklahoma?
As a result of the Second Seminole War (1835–1842) about 3,800 Seminole and Black Seminoles were forcibly removed to Indian Territory (the modern state of Oklahoma ). During the American Civil War, the members and leaders split over their loyalties, with John Chupco refusing to sign a treaty with the Confederacy.
Where did the Seminole people live?
The Seminole are a Native American people originally from Florida. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes: the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, as well as independent groups. The Seminole people emerged in a process of ethnogenesis from various Native American groups who settled in Spanish Florida beginning in the early 1700s, most significantly northern Muscogee Creeks from what is now Georgia and Alabama. The word "Seminole" is derived from the Muscogee word simanó-li, which may itself be derived from the Spanish word cimarrón, meaning "runaway" or "wild one". Seminole culture is largely derived from that of the Creek; the most important ceremony is the Green Corn Dance; other notable traditions include use of the black drink and ritual tobacco. As the Seminole adapted to Florida environs, they developed local traditions, such as the construction of open-air, thatched-roof houses known as chickees. Historically the Seminole spoke Mikasuki and Creek, both Muskogean languages.
Why did the Seminole tribe become independent?
In part due to the arrival of Native Americans from other cultures, the Seminole became increasingly independent of other Creek groups and established their own identity. They developed a thriving trade network by the time of the British and second Spanish periods (roughly 1767–1821).
Why did the Seminole tribe move to Florida?
Conflicts with Europeans and other tribes caused them to seek new lands to live in peace. Groups of Lower Creeks moved to Florida to get away from the dominance of Upper Creeks.
What did the Seminoles name mean?
The 1770s is when Florida Indians collectively became known as Seminole, a name meaning "wild people" or "runaway.". In addition to Creeks, Seminoles included Yuchis, Yamasses and a few aboriginal remnants. The population also increased with runaway slaves who found refuge among the Indians.
What did the Seminoles call themselves?
The Seminoles of Florida call themselves the "Unconquered People," descendants of just 300 Indians who managed to elude capture by the U.S. army in the 19th century.
How did the Seminole tribe improve their independence?
The Seminole tribe improved their independence by adopting a constitutional form of government. This allowed them to act more independently. So on July 21, 1957, tribal members voted in favor of a Seminole Constitution which established the federally recognized Seminole Tribe of Florida.
How many Seminoles were left in Florida?
That left roughly 200 to 300 Seminoles remaining in Florida, hidden in the swamps. For the next two decades, little was seen of Florida Seminole.
Why did the Lower Creeks move to Florida?
Groups of Lower Creeks moved to Florida to get away from the dominance of Upper Creeks. Some Creeks were searching for rich, new fields to plant corn, beans and other crops. For a while, Spain even encouraged these migrations to help provide a buffer between Florida and the British colonies.
What are the Seminoles' main industries?
The Seminoles work hard to be economically independent. To do this, they've jumped into a number of different industries. Tourism and bingo profits pay for infrastructure and schools on their reservations, while citrus groves and cattle have replaced early 20th-century trade in animal hides and crafts as the tribe's primary revenue sources.
What did the Seminoles live in?
The landscape in which the Seminole lived was composed of fertile valleys, thick woods, and low mountains. The largest and most powerful tribes took the desirable locations, the fertile valleys. The small tribes settled in the woods and mountains. (Garbarino 14) The environment influenced the types of food the people could find the most. It allowed maize, beans, and squash to grow plentifully. Although these plants grow plentifully, the Seminoles lived more by hunting and gathering. It was easier to hunt and fish because the woodlands and rivers were filled with an abundance of game. The Indians also gathered founds that were found in the environment, like berries, nuts, tubers, and seeds. (Seminole 626)
What were the homes of the Seminoles called?
These homes were called chickees. They had a chickee for summer, winter, and for a woman who is going to have a baby. The huts had raised platforms and the roof was thatched with palmetto leaves. (Lepthien 7, 24-25) Most of the towns with these chickees were stockaded or palisaded. That means they were surrounded with logs that formed a protective fence. This fence had usually had one or two openings, which allowed passage in and out. The men reinforced the walls with crossbeams and daubed clay or mud over the open spaces. (Garbarino 20-21)
What were the jobs of the Seminole Indians?
Most of the time, they baked boiled, or broiled the food. The women also preserved the food that they collect, such as plums and persimmons. (Garbarino 17) The men usually helped where there was heavy and intensive work to be do be done, like clearing land and harvesting, but the men’s main jobs were to hunt, fish, and battle. (Seminole Indians 290) The men hunted animals for their hides in addition to their meats. The most hunted for animals were: deer, squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, bears, turkeys, ducks, and geese. The Indians also ate alligator meat, turtle meat, shellfish, and fresh and salt-water fish. (Garbarino 15)
How many houses did the Indians have?
The Indians lived in villages that ranged in size from 20 to 100 houses and in population from 100 to more than one thousand. The homes were most likely to be built around a square or town plaza. The central area of the square was left for ceremonial purposes. The chief’s house, a meeting hall, storage building, and often the home of an important medicine man or religious leader surrounded the square. Around these buildings, the townspeople made their homes. (Garbarino 20)
When did the Seminole tribe move to the South?
On September 6, 1823 , near St. Augustine, 70 Seminole chiefs met with Florida governor William P. DuVal to discuss the removal of the Seminole. Most of the Seminole Chiefs agreed to the Indians move to a reservation further south. The Seminole gave the U.S. 30 million acres of fertile farmland, and the U.S. gave them 5 million acres of land that was unfit for cultivation. The Seminoles took a year to move, and when they go there, they were soon afflicted by widespread hunger. They grew more and more discontented with their present situation.
Why did Juan Ponce de Leon name Florida?
Spain claimed a new land that Juan Ponce de Leon had named Florida. Ponce De Leon named the land Florida because of the festival that was going on in Spain at that time, Pascua Florida. Spain had claimed the land from the southernmost tip of Florida to the Chesapeake Bay and to the Mississippi River. Juan Ponce de Leon tried establish a settlement along the coast of Florida, but all he did was bother the Indians in the area. As a result of the skirmish between the Indians and the Spaniards, he was wounded very badly. He died a little while later at his base in Cuba. (Garbarino 33)
When did Florida become Spanish?
In 1783 , Florida became Spanish after Great Britain lost the Revolutionary War. The period of peace and prosperity was now over for the Seminoles. The American settlers were soon attracted to the fertile land that the Seminole owned. Some of them even trespassed and set up farms. (Lepthien 16) The Indians warned them that they would be attacked if they did not leave. The Americans did not comply with the Seminole, so they raided the American Homesteads. Also, at this time, the plantation owners whose slaves had become Seminoles, demanded their slaves back, and they sent slave-catchers to the Seminole lands. (Garbarino 39)
How did the Curtis Act affect the Seminole people?
Under the Curtis Act of 1898 the Dawes Commission dissolved the Seminole government and divided its territory among approximately three thousand enrolled tribe members. The restrictions that accompanied allotment did little to protect their interests in the land. Through sale, often by fraudulent means, many Seminole families and individuals lost their land holdings. By 1920 only about 20 percent of the Seminole lands remained in Seminole hands. Of those who retained their property, a few became wealthy following the discovery of the Greater Seminole Oil Field in 1923. The policy of allotment was repealed by Congress in 1934. By the following year the Seminole had reestablished their government. In 1970 the tribal council was reorganized to adhere to its traditional structure.
What was the Seminole name?
There they became known as Seminole, perhaps a derivation of cimarron, a Spanish term for runaway. By the nineteenth century the Seminole were deemed a threat to the slaveholding culture of the American South and thus were designated for pacification and removal. In three ensuing wars the Seminole resisted these efforts.
How many times does the Seminole Nation meet?
In addition, each band elects two representatives to serve on the Seminole Nation General Council. This legislative body meets at least four times a year in the General Council House, which is located near Seminole. The government of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma is led by an elected chief and an assistant chief.
What was the Seminole Indians' migration?
The Seminole Indians, one of the so-called "Five Civilized Tribes," were forcibly removed to the Indian Territory (present Oklahoma) in the first half of the nineteenth century. This migration was part of the United States' general policy of Indian Removal, and it resulted from both a series of Seminole wars and several questionable treaties ...
How many fuel outlets did the Seminole Nation own?
Along with its gaming facilities, in the early twenty-first century the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma owned and operated three motor fuel outlets, three smoke shops, and one truck stop and offered its members various health programs, family services, and educational opportunities.
When was the Wewoka Mission established?
Established in 1848, it educated Seminole children until the Civil War. Several other schools, including the Wewoka Mission, the Mekusukey Academy for boys, and the Emahaka Mission, instituted cultural and religious changes in the 1880s and 1890s.
How much of the Seminole land was lost in 1920?
Through sale, often by fraudulent means, many Seminole families and individuals lost their land holdings. By 1920 only about 20 percent of the Seminole lands remained in Seminole hands. Of those who retained their property, a few became wealthy following the discovery of the Greater Seminole Oil Field in 1923.
What did the Seminoles wear?
The Seminoles wore elaborate tattoos, but rarely painted their faces. Today, some Seminole people still wear moccasins or a patchwork skirt, but they wear modern clothes like jeans instead of breechcloths... and they only wear roaches in their hair on special occasions like a dance.
What were the houses of the Seminole people called?
The Seminole people lived in houses called chickees. Seminole chickees were made of wood and plaster, and the roofs were thatched with palmetto fiber. Here are some pictures of chickees like the ones Seminole Indians used.
What weapons did the Seminole use?
Fishermen usually used fishing spears. Traditionally, Seminole warriors fired their bows or fought with tomahawks. Here are pictures and information about the Indian tomahawk and other traditional weapons. But by the time the Seminole tribe had united in the 1700's, they also fought with guns.
What did the Seminoles use as pack animals?
Over land, the Seminoles used dogs as pack animals. (There were no horses in North America until colonists brought them over from Europe.) Today, of course, Seminole people also use cars... and non-native people also use canoes.
What does the Seminole tribe mean?
Seminole is pronounced "SEH-minn-ole.". It comes from a Spanish word meaning "wild.". How did the Seminole tribe form? In the 1700's, many Indians from Georgia and Florida tribes--Creeks, Miccosukees, Hitchitis, and Oconees--joined together for protection.
How did the Seminoles protect their homes?
This protected their homes from flooding and swamp animals.
Did the Seminole Indians make canoes?
Yes--the Seminole Indians made flat dugout canoes from hollowed-out cypress logs. They steered these boats with poles rather than paddles, and sometimes used sails made from palmetto fiber. Here is a website with pictures of different kinds of Native American wooden canoes .
What are the tribes of Florida?
Related ethnic groups. Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, Miccosukee, Muscogee people (Creek) The Seminole Tribe of Florida is a federally recognized Seminole tribe based in the U.S. state of Florida. Together with the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, it is one of three federally recognized Seminole entities.
How many Native Americans were there in Florida?
The federal government persisted in classifying all the 918 Native Americans in the Florida agency area as Seminole, although the 305 Miccosukee and Traditionals closer to the Tamiami Trail did not identify with the reservation Seminole. They had asserted their independence from the reservation group since the 1920s. The Seminole appealed to have federal supervision continued so they could better prepare to manage their affairs.
What did the Seminoles do to help the Seminoles?
The women had developed organizations to aid the Seminole; for instance, they helped support children to go to boarding schools, lo bbied to get Seminole admitted to local public schools, which were racially segregated and classified the Seminole as among "colored" to attend with African Americans; and loaned money to men trying to buy homes.
Why did Seminole medicine men threaten to kill her and her brother?
In a 1999 interview, Betty Mae Tiger Jumper, chairwoman of the Tribe from 1967 to 1971, said that in the late 1920s, Seminole medicine men had threatened to kill her and her brother, then young children, because they were of mixed heritage with a white father. She learned that other half-breeds had been killed. Her great uncle moved her family to the Dania reservation for safety.
What happened to the Seminole tribes in 1920?
Tribal reorganization. During the 1920–1940 period many changes took place in the habitat which the Seminole had lived. Settlers and developers wanting to convert wetlands to farms and residential communities had built drainage projects, which altered the wetlands ecosystem and damaged many species that it supported.
Why did the Seminole tribe get evicted?
In 1953, the Seminole were informed they were on the congressional list for termination of their tribal status and federal benefits, under the federal Indian termination policy to reduce costs and the determination that some tribes no longer needed any special relationship with the federal government. But termination would result in their eviction from the three existing reservations. Few of the Seminole at the time had gained formal education or graduated from high school, and they worried about being able to organize as a tribe in order to deal with the government.
Why did Seminole people move to reservations?
Following the efforts of Creek Christian missionaries, more Seminole moved to reservations in the 1940s to form their own churches. Other factors in the move include Florida's drainage of the wetlands and shift toward wide-scale agriculture.
What was the Seminole Tribe’s population?
Many Red Sticks refugees moved south during the time, adding approximately 2,000 people to the population.
Who is the Seminole tribe’s current chief?
Chief Jim Billie (born March 20, 1944) is a politician who served as chairman of the Seminole Tribe of Florida from 1979 to 2001 and again from 2011 to 2016.
When did the Seminole Tribe go extinct?
The Seminole were given three years before being removed once the treaty was ratified in 1834.
What was the Seminole Tribe’s meal preparation method?
Meals were prepared and served at the village’s dining house, which was a huge structure. Over an open fire, women prepared meals for the whole community. As a result, there was usually hot soup or stew on the stove. Cornbread, fried bread, soups, stews, and hominy are all popular dishes.
What is the meaning of the name Seminole?
By about 1775, those migrants had earned the moniker Seminole, which was derived from the Creek term simanó-li, which meant “separatist” or “runaway.” The name may possibly be derived from the Spanish word cimarrón, which means “wild.”
What is the Seminole language?
Seminole tribe people now speak one or both of two languages: Maskókî and Mikiskî. From the hundreds of languages spoken by their forefathers in the Southeast, these are the only two that remain. The basic language is Maskókî, which is incorrectly referred to as “Creek” by English speakers.
What did the locals refer to Florida as?
The Calusa Indians were formerly known as the “Calos,” or “Fierce People.” They were descendants of Paleo-Indians who lived about 12,000 years ago in Southwest Florida.
Why did the Seminole Indians live in Chickees?
The Seminole Indians lived in Chickees because of the swampy conditions that existed in the Everglades of Florida where many Seminole lived.
What was the name of the home that Seminole Indians lived in?
Seminole Indians lived in a home called a Chickee.
Where was the round council house?
A round Council House was built on higher ground near one corner of the Great House. The chief and warriors met in the Council to make decisions.
Overview
The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes: the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, as well as independent groups. The Seminole people emerged in a process of ethnogenesis from vario…
Etymology
The word "Seminole" is almost certainly derived from the Creek word simanó-li, which has been variously translated as "frontiersman", "outcast", "runaway", "separatist", and similar words. The Creek word may be derived from the Spanish word cimarrón, meaning "runaway" or "wild one", historically used for certain Native American groups in Florida. The people who constituted the nucleus of this Florida group either chose to leave their tribe or were banished. At one time, the t…
History
Native American refugees from northern wars, such as the Yuchi and Yamasee after the Yamasee War in South Carolina, migrated into Spanish Florida in the early 18th century. More arrived in the second half of the 18th century, as the Lower Creeks, part of the Muscogee people, began to migrate from several of their towns into Florida to evade the dominance of the Upper Creeks and press…
Political and social organization
The Seminole were organized around itálwa, the basis of their social, political and ritual systems, and roughly equivalent to towns or bands in English. They had a matrilineal kinship system, in which children are considered born into their mother's family and clan, and property and hereditary roles pass through the material line. Males held the leading political and social positions. Each itálwa had civil, military and religious leaders; they were self-governing throughout the nineteent…
Languages
Historically, the various groups of Seminole spoke two mutually unintelligible Muskogean languages: Mikasuki (and its dialect, Hitchiti) and Muscogee. Mikasuki is now restricted to Florida, where it was the native language of 1,600 people as of 2000, primarily the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida. The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma is working to revive the use of Creek among its people, as it had been the dominant language of politics and social discourse.
Ethnobotany
The Seminole use the spines of Cirsium horridulum (also called bristly thistle) to make blowgun darts.
Contemporary
During the Seminole Wars, the Seminole people began to divide among themselves due to the conflict and differences in ideology. The Seminole population had also been growing significantly, though it was diminished by the wars. With the division of the Seminole population between Indian Territory (Oklahoma) and Florida, they still maintained some common traditions, such a…
Land claims
In 1946 the Department of Interior established the Indian Claims Commission, to consider compensation for tribes that claimed their lands were seized by the federal government during times of conflict. Tribes seeking settlements had to file claims by August 1961, and both the Oklahoma and Florida Seminoles did so. After combining their claims, the Commission awarded the Seminole a tota…