The Seminole Indians Essay Research Paper The free essay sample

The Seminole Indians Essay, Research Paper The Seminole Native Americans are the autochthonal people of southeasterly North America. They are comprised of assorted folks, alternatively of being a individual, alone people. # 8220 ; As the United States is a state made up of people from many states, the Seminole is a folk made up of Indians from many tribes. # 8221 ; ( Garbarino-13 ) . The cultural diverseness consequences from their interaction with other southeasterly folks such as the Calusa, Yuchi, Timucua, Cherokee, Apalachicola, Chickasaw, and Creek. It besides accounts for their Muskogean linguistic communication, which derives from the Hokan-Siouan. The Seminole are most closely related to the Creek. In fact, they shared the same civilization until the Seminole fled from Georgia to Northern Florida during late eighteenth century. Under the Creek, they felt hampered and desired freedom. Therefore, they fled with hopes of independency to Florida, owned by Spain. There, they encountered the Apalachee and Timucua folks, both of which spoke the Mikasuki Language ( Seminole Indians 290 ) . Hence, they were named the Seminole, intending.runaway tens in Creek idiom. Negro and Indian slaves joined them in their pursuit for freedom, as they fled during the power struggles between American settlers and Native Americans ( Seminole 626 ) . They finally obtained complete freedom, but they still retained many imposts of their original civilization. However, their ambiance and milieus still had a great impact on their civilization and lives. Depending on the handiness of resources, they adapted to accommodate their environment. For case, their diet, vesture, and places all depended on the clime, the animate beings present, and the handiness of natural resources. Soon, these factors even began to act upon civilization. .The environment even influenced the linguistic communication and rites. Due to this engagement with Nature, they revered all of Nature. ten ( Garbarino 13 ) The Florida landscape consisted of changing textures: dense woods, bouldery mountains, and fertile vales. The more powerful folks tended to command the auspicious, profitable, fertile vales while the weaker folks controlled the unfortunate woods or mountains ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www.seminoletribe.com/ ) . The vale great birthrate is what amounted to its illustriousness. It allowed for the agribusiness of indispensable veggies including beans, corn, and squash in great measures. Fortunately, the Seminoles were able to obtain fertile land. This, nevertheless, was non their chief beginning of nutriment. They hunted, gathered natural fruits, and fished aboard streams. There was a great copiousness of game in their district for all their demands. ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www.seminoletribe.com/ ) Prior to their reaching in Florida, Spain had claimed the land that Juan Ponce de Leon had named Florida. The district started from the southernmost border of Florida, to the Chesapeake Bay, to the Mississippi River. Meanwhile, struggles arose with the unsettled Native Americans and there were changeless warfare. As a consequence, Juan Ponce de Leon was injured and shortly died. This was a major triumph for the Native Americans that helped to keep their land. ( Garbarino 33 ) Following his decease, conflicts with the Spanish steadily decreased since there was no longer an urging pursuit for land. The Native Americans exposure to foreign people had annihilating effects. As a consequence of their contact with the Spanish, some Indians contracted diseases like fatal pneumonia and variola. The extremely contagious diseases spread rapidly and softly, go forthing them defenseless against their silent, unseeable antagonist. Many tribes population dropped steadily as foreigners continued to settle. ( Lepthien 5-6 ) There were several conflicts to set up control in Florida, in the district of the Seminole, by conflicting European states. In 1564, the Gallic established a colony in Florida, which was shortly destroyed by Spanish forces. Such conflicts between the French, Spanish, and English raged on continuing this event, each state looking to spread out their districts. In 1565, the Spanish founded a lasting European colony in the sou-east named St. Augustine. This district besides attracted the English, so Sir Francis Drake commanded an English force to assail St. Augustine in 1586. Unfortunately, he failed to perforate the Spanish ground forces, but the English were successful in set uping Jamestown, Virginia. ( Garbarino 34 ) Native American confederations were scattered, for different folks sided with different states. As English presence steadily grew, settlers began to settle on Indian land. Some folks such as the Yamassee fought back, but were badly defeated. T hey were so forced into uninhabited land, where there was no competition ( Garbarino 37 ) . Contemporary Georgia became a hideout for slaves and Native Americans, where both groups of people inhabited and even intermarried. This symbiotic relationship was forced to an terminal when The English established Georgia. They so fled to Florida, which the British took over in 1763 after they forced Spain to merchandise it for Cuba ( Garbarino 39 ) . The peace and prosperity would shortly stop for the Seminoles as land was stripped off. American colonists began to intrude on Seminole district as the fertile land attracted them. In revenge, the Seminole raided American colonies and plundered valuables to protect their land. In add-on, plantation proprietors demanded that runaway slaves who lived with the Seminole be returned. To implement their demand, slave premium huntsmans were hired and sent to the Seminole lands. These conflicting issues are what pushed the two states towards war. ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www.anthro.mankato.msus.edu/cultural/northamerica/seminole.html ) After the War of 1812 between the British and United States, The United States declared war on the Florida Indians as a consequence of the tenseness and bloodshed between the two states. US Soldiers entered Spanish district and raided Seminole district in order to recapture slaves. However, the onslaught was much more than what was necessary, for small towns were burnt to the land, and their valuables plundered. This was known as the First Seminole War, from 1817 to 1818. ( Seminole 626 ) During the war, Billy Bowlegs led the Seminole, while US Army was led by Andrew Jackson, who would shortly go President for his heroic Acts of the Apostless. Native American casualties were high and subsisters retreated, while US casualties were minimum. As a consequence of their triumph, the weak Spanish signed a pact with the US, giving them full control the Florida. On February 22, 1821, Florida became a portion of the United States of America. ( Garbarino 40-41 ) The US forged an understanding with the Seminole that would take them from the Florida district and force them southwestward to Indian reserves. The Seminole reluctantly agreed to forestall farther complications. The footings of understanding were that the Seminole would give the US 30 million estates of land in exchange for 5 million estates of land further west/south. Basically, the US exchanged land unfit for cultivation for fertile and valuable land. The Seminoles faced widespread hungriness and many casualties due to disease on their yearlong journey. Meanwhile, they progressively grew discontent. By the twelvemonth 1830, when they were wholly settled in their new land, the US authorities planned to behave the Native Americans west of the Mississippi. At this point the Seminole were really weak and stood no opportunity, so they agreed, except for some opposition from some leaders. Under President Jackson, the US signed the Treaty of Fort Gibson with concerted Seminole leaders in 1832. Some leaders believed that the US had tricked them into subscribing the pact and refused to go forth. ( Garbarino 45-46 ) Before their deadline to go forth the district, Seminole warriors attacked US military personnels to get down the Second Seminole War, which lasted for 7 old ages ( Garbarino 46 ) . The great warrior, Osceola, led the Seminole utilizing guerrilla tactics. American casualties were highly high as compared to Seminole losingss. American colonies and plantations were raided and destroyed. Osceola was really humanist in that he refused to ache kids or adult females, and was against busting places. His tactics of ambush proved highly effectual against unsuspecting US soldiers. ( Garbarino 52 ) General Thomas S. Jesup became the new general and took bid of the 10,000 work forces in Florida. He ruthlessly attacked Seminole small towns, captured their cowss and Equus caballuss, destroyed harvests, and took their adult females and kids surety. These classs of action lowered the Seminoles morale. Despite their efforts to name it a armistice, the US ground forces continued to assail and incarcerate the Seminole. Even their great leader King Pilip was captured at one point. Osceola was imprisoned and shortly died, but his decease merely enraged the Seminole to contend farther. ( Garbarino 52 ) As the war raged on, the Seminole became outnumbered and their morale dropped. The terminal to the war was gradual, for no functionary pact was made. It was a soundless, consentaneous pact, which both sides seemed to hold upon. Some Seminoles were pushed deep into the Everglades, while other went west past the Mississippi. There was minimum bloodshed and struggles with the Seminole afterwards since they were now isolated and off from civilisation. ( Garbarino 54-55 )