Seminole Essay, Research Paper

The SeminolesThe Seminole Indians are a tribe of Indians who nowhave territory and reservations in Florida and Oklahoma. They once belonged to the Muskogee tribe that lived alongstreams in what are now southern Georgia and Alabama. The Seminoles moved to Florida and Oklahomaaround 1708 when the white men drove them out of theirhomes and took their land. The Seminoles adjusted well tolife in Florida. In the late 1700 s and early 1800 s Florida was aterritory of Spain, that made the Seminoles Spanishcitizens. Like white men, they had black slaves, but theytreated their slaves with respect. In the early 1800 sGeneral Andrew Jackson attacked the few Seminolevillages left in Georgia and forced most of the Indians toflee to their relatives in Florida. Among them were ayoung woman and her son, Osceola, who would grow up tobecome a great Seminole leader. This attack started theFirst Seminole War. Florida was sold to the United States by Spain in1819. In 1823 the Seminoles signed a treaty giving up mostof their land. Once they moved into their new reservations

in Central Florida Andrew Jackson who was president atthe time signed the Indian Removal Act which required allSeminoles to move to the Indian Territory, which is nowknown as Oklahoma. Most of the Seminoles wouldn t go. This started the Second Seminole War. During the SecondSeminole War many of the Seminoles gave up and went toOklahoma. The ones that didn t had to hide deep in theEverglades where the white men couldn t find them.Osceola was taken prisoner by the United Statesgovernment. He died in prison. The Florida Seminoles never signed a formal peacetreaty with the United States. The Seminole Indians arestill living in reservations in Florida and Oklahoma, TheSeminole Tribe of Florida, Inc., has its headquarters inHollywood, Florida, where there is a replica of a traditionalchickee village. The Seminole Indians have been in what is now TheUnited States of America for over fifteen thousand years. They have been through many wars and have had manytragedies along the way. The Seminoles always were astrong tribe and continue to be a strong tribe.