This is a timeline of events in the history of the Cherokee Nation, from its earliest appearance in historical records to modern court cases in the United States. Some basic content about the removal of other southeastern tribes to lands west of the Mississippi River is included. In a series of treaties, these tribes ceded land to the United States.
1540–1775
Year Date Event c. 1540 Members of Hernando DeSoto’s expedition became the first recorded Europeans to encounter the Mississippian culture people, in the towns of Chalaque, Guaqili, Xuala (Joara), and Guasili.David G.; Beck, Robin A. Jr.; & Rodning, Christopher B. (March 2004). "Joara and Fort San Juan: Culture Contact at the Edge of the World" , Antiquity (Vol 78 No 299) Joara was a regional chiefdom established around the year 1000 near the present day town of Morganton, North Carolina. These villages are believed to have been developed by Catawba ancestors (specifically the Cheraw). c. 1567 On a lengthy journey into the interior from Santa Elena (present day South Carolina) to the planned capital of Spanish Florida, Juan Pardo established the Presidio of San Juan at Joara. In later journeys, Pardo encountered Native Americans in towns such as Nikwasi, Tocoa, and Kituwa. c. 1654 English settlers from Jamestown, supported by a force of Pamunkey, attacked the "Rechahecrian" (possibly Cherokee) village of 600–700 warriors in the vicinity of present-day Richmond, and were soundly defeated. c. 1670 German trader James Lederer travelled south from the James River in Virginia to Catawba territory near the newly established Province of Carolina, where he encountered the "Rickahockan," whom he placed on a map as being in the western mountains of present-day North Carolina. c. 1708 The Lenape destroyed a Cherokee town in the upper Ohio River region and drove away its people. The Cherokee at Qually Boundary told anthropologist James Mooney these were the last Cherokee remaining in the north. c. 1710–1715 The Cherokee and Chickasaw warred with the Shawnee of the Cumberland River basin in present-day Tennessee. c. 1711–1715 The Cherokee joined other tribes and European militias in fighting against the Tuscarora, longtime enemies of the Cherokee. Their victory in the Tuscarora War forced the remaining Tuscarora to migrate north to New York, where they joined the Iroquois Confederacy as the Sixth Nation in 1722. c. 1714 The Cherokee destroyed the Yuchi town of Chestowee on the Hiwassee River, in the brief Cherokee-Yuchi War. c. 1715–1717 In the Yamasee War, the Cherokee initially joined other tribes, such as the Yamasee, Catawba, and Lower Muscogee), in attacking South Carolinian colonists. Along with the Catawba, the Cherokee switched sides during the course of the war, contributing to the defeat of their former allies. c. 1721 The Cherokee signed the Treaty with the Province of South Carolina, ceding land between the Santee, Saluda, and Edisto Rivers. Subsequently, the first recorded band of Cherokee crossed the Mississippi River, supposedly led by a warrior named Dangerous Man (Yunwiusgaseti). Part of this band allegedly reached the Rocky Mountains and survived into the 19th century. In an attempt to reunite the Cherokee, Sequoyah left Indian territory for northern Mexico, where he disappeared. c. 1730 Sir Alexander Cumming, who crowned Moytoy of Tellico as "Emperor of the Cherokee," took seven Cherokee leaders, including Attakullakulla, to London. They met with King George I and signed the Articles of Trade and Friendship between the Cherokee and the Kingdom of Great Britain. c. 1753–1755 The Cherokee-Muscogee War was fought, culminating in the Battle of Taliwa. c. 1754–1763 During the French and Indian War, the North American theater of the Seven Years' War, the Cherokee initially fought with British forces against those of the Kingdom of France, but British mistreatment of Cherokee forces led Moytoy to initiate the Anglo-Cherokee War, which the British won. At that war's conclusion, the Cherokee signed the Treaty of Long Island-on-the-Holston with the Colony of Virginia in 1761 and the Treaty of Charlestown with South Carolina in 1762. c. 1755 The Cherokee signed the Treaty with South Carolina, ceding the land between the Wateree and Santee rivers. c. 1758–1769 The Cherokee-Chickasaw War was fought, culminating in the Battle of Chickasaw Old Fields. c. 1762 May Following his peace mission to the Overhill Towns, Lieutenant Henry Timberlake took three headmen—Ostenaco of Tomotley, Standing Turkey of Chota, and Wood Pigeon (Ata-wayi) of Keowee—to meet with George III in London to reaffirm the peace treaties signed at the end of the Anglo-Cherokee War. 1763 October 7 King George III issued the Royal Proclamation of 1763, creating a boundary line along the crest of the Appalachian Mountains, beyond which colonists were forbidden to settle, in an effort to try to preserve Indian territory and reduce conflicts between colonists and Indians. c. 1768 The Cherokee signed the Treaty of Hard Labour with the British Indian Superintendent, ceding land in southwest Virginia. c. 1770 The Cherokee signed the Treaty of Lochaber with the British Indian Superintendent, ceding land in present-day Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky. c. 1772 The Cherokee signed the Treaty with Virginia, ceding land in Virginia and eastern Kentucky. The Cherokee agreed to lease land to a group of colonists, creating the semi-autonomous Watauga Association. c. 1773 The Cherokee signed the Treaty of Augusta, ceding over two million acres (8,000 km2) to the colony of Georgia. c. 1775 The Cherokee signed the Treaty of Sycamore Shoals, selling land to the Transylvania Company. A group of Cherokee defeated Spanish miners in the Mine La Motte area of Missouri.
1775–1811
Year Date Event c. 1775–1783 During the American Revolutionary War, the Cherokee supported British forces against rebelling American colonists. c. 1777 The Cherokee signed the Treaty of DeWitts’ Corner with South Carolina and Georgia, and the Treaty of Fort Henry with Virginia and North Carolina, ceding lands in both cases. As a result, some Cherokee migrated westward into North Georgia; Dragging Canoe moved southwestward, leading a large group of like-minded Cherokee (known as the Chickamauga) to the present day Chattanooga area and began the Cherokee–American wars (1776–94). c. 1782 A group of Cherokee under Standing Turkey received permission to emigrate west of the Mississippi from the governor of Spanish Louisiana, into present day Missouri. Dragging Canoe led his people further westward and southwestward, eventually penetrating present day Alabama as more Cherokee refugees migrated to the area. c. 1783 The Cherokee signed the Treaty of Long Swamp Creek with the state of Georgia, ceding most of the land between the Savannah and Chattahoochee Rivers. c. 1785 November 28 The Cherokee signed the Treaty of Hopewell with the United States, and the Treaty of Dumplin Creek and Treaty of Coyatee with the State of Franklin (part of present-day Tennessee). c. 1788 The principal town of the Cherokee people was moved from Chota to Ustanali, near present-day Calhoun, Georgia, after a raid by settlers from East Tennessee resulted in the assassination of Old Tassel, the tribe's leading chief and several other leaders. Little Turkey, a former warrior, was elected headman, but Hanging Maw claimed the title by tradition. 1791 February 22 The Cherokee signed the Treaty of Holston with the United States, establishing terms of relations between the tribe and the young nation. Among other provisions, the treaty made the United States responsible for managing foreign affairs for the Cherokee. 1792 March 1 Dragging Canoe died near present-day Trenton, Georgia and was buried near present-day Whiteside, Tennessee. He was succeeded as leader of the Chickamauga Cherokee by John Watts. 1793 September 25 On the way to attack White's Fort (present day Knoxville, Tennessee), a combined force of over 1000 Cherokee and Muscogee warriors under John Watts attacked a small fortified homestead called Cavett's Station. After Watts negotiated a surrender, another Cherokee chieftain, Doublehead, attacked and killed the homesteaders, despite the attempts of Watts and James Vann to stop him. The incident broke up the invasion force and began a bitter rivalry between Vann and Doublehead, which caused a rift in the Cherokee Nation lasting long past their deaths. 1794 June 26 The Cherokee signed the Treaty of Philadelphia, selling land to the United States. 1794 November 7 The Cherokee signed the Treaty of Tellico Blockhouse' with the United States, ending the Cherokee–American wars and establishing a Cherokee Nation. c. 1794 Little Turkey was recognized by all Cherokee as Principal Chief of the Nation, and the Cherokee National Council was formally established as the nation's legislative body. c. 1796 Mixed-blood, red haired chief Will Weber, whose town Titsohili later became known as Willstown in his honor, departed west over the Mississippi becoming one of the first of the "Old Settlers" in the Indian Territory. 1798 October 2 The Cherokee signed the first Treaty of Tellico, affirming boundaries between the Cherokee Nation and the United States. c. 1801 The Moravian Brethren established Spring Place Mission on land given to them by James Vann from his Diamond Hill plantation, the most important feature of which was a school. c. 1802 The state of Georgia surrendered to the federal government its claims to its western lands; in exchange, President Thomas Jefferson nullifies the titles of the Muscogee and Cherokee to their lands within Georgia's borders. c. 1803 With the death of Little Turkey, former warrior Black Fox was chosen to succeed him as principal chief. 1804 October 24 The Cherokee signed another Treaty of Tellico, ceding land to the United States. c. 1805 At the suggestion of Louisiana Territory Governor James Wilkinson, the Cherokee living in southeast Missouri on the Mississippi River moved to the Arkansas River, in what later became the Arkansaw Territory. 1805 October 25 The Cherokee signed another Treaty of Tellico, ceding land to the United States, including for the Federal Road. 1805 October 27 The Cherokee signed another Treaty of Tellico ceding land to the state of Tennessee state assembly to meet upon. 1806 January 7 The Cherokee signed the Treaty of Washington, ceding land to the United States. 1807 August Near present-day Calhoun, Tennessee, Major Ridge and Alexander Saunders assassinated Doublehead, Speaker of the Cherokee National Assembly, who engaged in secret land deals for personal profit. Doublehead's archrival James Vann was originally designated the main assassin, but was too inebriated at the time. c. 1808 Because of their attempt to make a secret deal for their own profit with U.S. Commissioner Return J. Meigs, Black Fox and his assistant principal chief Tagwadihi were deposed from office at a council in Hiwassee Old Town. Black Fox was succeeded by Pathkiller, another former warrior. 1808 September 11 The National Council, meeting at Broomtown, Alabama authorized the formation of the Cherokee Lighthorse Guard under Major Ridge. This patrol was charged with prevention squatting by Americans, robbery, horse theft, and cattle rustling. c. 1809 A large group of Cherokee under Doublehead's brother Tahlonteeskee emigrated to lands in present day Arkansas, where Tahlonteeskee became the first principal chief of the Cherokee Nation West. Later that year, Meigs sent John Ross to these Cherokee as his deputy. The Cherokee National Committee was established to handle affairs of the nation between meetings of the National Council. 1809 February 19 An unknown assassin killed James Vann. c. 1810 A party under The Bowl and Tsulawi migrated west. Clans surrender the right to blood vengeance to the Cherokee Nation government.
1811–1829