I.

Introduction

Cherokee, Native Americans of the Iroquoian language family and of the Southeast culture area. Before Europeans arrived in North America the Cherokee controlled a large region of the Southeast. Their territory eventually came to extend through eight present-day Southern states. Various Cherokee bands played an important role in colonial America and in United States history. They remain one of the largest tribes in the United States, and many Americans of all backgrounds claim Cherokee ancestry.

The origin of the name Cherokee is uncertain. It may come from the Choctaw name for them, Tsalagi, meaning “people of the land of caves,” or the Creek name for them, Tisolki, meaning “people of a different speech.” The Cherokee call themselves Ani-Yun'wiya, meaning “principal people.”