Source: clevelandbanner.com “Cherokee returning to Red Clay for Tri-Council” WHO WERE THE CHEROKEE?
• Native American tribe
• First encountered by Europeans in Appalachian region • Highly innovative • Extremely intelligent
Fig. 4. Cherokee village in North Carolina, circa 1940
Source: https://indianspictures.blogspot.com “Cherokee Indian Pictures and Images WHERE DID THEY COME FROM?
• Many theories about the origin of the Cherokee
• Some relation to Iroquois
Fig. 5. United States Map
Source: Geology.com “Physical Map of the United States” CHEROKEE COUNTRY BOUNDARIES
Fig. 6. Map Showing Extent of Cherokee Boundaries.
Source: awesomestories.com “Map: The Cherokee Country” THEORY 1 – NO MIGRATION OF CHEROKEE • Theory presented by Thomas Whyte, 2007 • Cherokee always lived in southeast • Iroquois migrated north
Fig. 7. Historical distribution of Iroquoian speakers in eastern North America.
Source: Whyte, Thomas “Proto-Iroquoian Divergence in the Late Archaic-Early Woodland Period Transition of the Appalachian Highlands” THEORY 2 – SPLITTING FROM IROQUOIS • Theory presented by Andrew Parker, early 1900’s • Iroquois and Cherokee were one tribe • Cherokee migrated first • War was started which created boundaries
Fig. 8. United States Map
Source: Geology.com “Physical Map of the United States” Carter, David April 13, 2018 THEORY 3 – SOUTHERN ORIGIN • Theory presented by Emmet Starr, 1921 • Iroquois and Cherokee not related • Cherokee migrated from south • War created boundaries
Fig. 9. United States Map
Source: Geology.com “Physical Map of the United States.” Carter, David April 13, 2018 MOON-EYED PEOPLE – FACT OR FICTION?
• Benjamin Barton, 1797
• From Cherokee tradition • Blond hair, blue eyed • Afraid of light • Used strange weapons
Fig. 10. Sculpture, possibly of Moon-Eyed People
Source: roadsideamerica.com “The Moon-Eyed People” LEGEND OF MADOC AND THE WELSH • Madoc arrived in Alabama in 1170 • Traveled north
Fig. 11. Prince Madoc of Wales
Source: southernmemoriesandupdates.com “Welsh Explorer Prince Madoc Beat Columbus to New World by 322 Years” CHEROKEE SUMMER HOUSE