Timeline

Timeline of Cherokee land claims, treaties and removals

Early to mid-1700s	Cherokee fight alongside British during French-Indian War
1712	cede lands in South Carolina
1738-39	smallpox outbreak among Cherokees. Nearly half of the population perishes.
1763	by royal decree, the British are not allowed to settle beyond the Appalachians in an effort to offer some protection to Native Americans.
1776	with help of Shawnee, Cherokee attacks settlers/squatters in South Carolina, Georgia, and North Carolina. Ends with first Treaty of Tellico Blockhouse. Cherokee agree to cede lands to Tennessee.
1775-1786	some Cherokee (along with Choctaw and Chickasaw) voluntarily resettled along Arkansas and Red Rivers.
Early 1800s	Cherokee begin to develop national government under a string of chiefs: Little Turkey, Black Fox, and Pathkiller.
1802	federal government extinguishes Native American land titles claimed by Georgia
1815	government attempts to convince the Cherokee to move voluntarily by establishing a reservation in Arkansas. Cherokees who move during this time are called “Old Settlers”
1817	hostilities between Cherokee and Osage in Arkansas results in the founding of Fort Smith between the two parties
1819	group of traditionalist Cherokees move to Spanish Texas and found the aptly named Texas Cherokees
1825	New Town, Georgia becomes the capital of Cherokee Nation. Sequoyah’s writing is adopted along with a police force, a judicial system and a national committee.
1825	the Osage are forced to cede its land to the United States in the Treaty of St. Louis in order to make room for the Cherokee
1827		Cherokee Nation drafts a Constitution based on that of the United States. John Ross is appointed Principal Chief.
1829	Andrew Jackson is inaugurated as president. Gold is found on Cherokee land in Georgia.
1830	Congress passes Indian Removal Act which forces the relocation of Native Americans east of the Mississippi to western Indian Territory.
1830	Chief Ross brings the issue before the Supreme Court in Cherokee Nation v. Georgia. The Cherokee are ruled to be separate from the United States, but still wards of the larger nation.
1831	Worcester v. Georgia rules that Native Americans are “distinct, independent political communities retaining their original natural rights.”
1832	Jackson is reelected and ignores the Supreme Court ruling. Cherokee land is sold in a Land Lottery by the state of Georgia.
1838-1839	Cherokee are forcibly removed by federal troops. Over 16,000 are relocated westward in the Trail of Tears (in Cherokee ᏅᎾ ᏓᎤᎳ ᏨᏱ or Nvna Daula Tsvyi (The Trail Where They Cried)).
1839	Sequoyah (leader of the Old Settlers) signed an Act of Union with John Ross (leader of new emigrants) to reunite the two groups.
1887	Dawes Act broke up community tribal lands into individual household allotments. Native Americans must be registered to the Dawes Roll in order to receive land.
1898	Curtis Act dissolves all tribal governments, courts, schools, and other institutions. This is done to create a combined state with Oklahoma and Indian Territory.

Timeline for Cherokee Governments and Tribes

1794	Establishment of the Cherokee National Council and officers over the whole nation
1808	Establishment of the Cherokee Lighthorse Guard, a national police force
1809	Establishment of the National Committee
1810	End of separate regional councils and abolition of blood vengeance
1820	Establishment of courts in eight districts to handle civil disputes
1822	Cherokee Supreme Court established
1823	National Committee given power to review acts of the National Council
1827	Constitution of the Cherokee Nation East
1828	Constitution of the Cherokee Nation West
1832	Suspension of elections in the Cherokee Nation East
1839	Constitution of the reunited Cherokee Nation
1868	Constitution of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
1888	Charter of Incorporation issued by the State of North Carolina to the Eastern Band
1950	Constitution and federal charter of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians
1975	Constitution of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma
1999	Constitution of the Cherokee Nation drafted

Different routs of the Trail of Tears walked by the Cherokee from their native homeland in the southeast to Oklahoma