Chief Redbird was a leader of the Cherokee Native Americans during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was an influential chief who played an important role in Cherokee politics and the relationship between the Cherokee nation and the expanding United States government. Determining exactly which tribe Chief Redbird belonged to requires an examination of the historical context of the Cherokee nation during this time period.
Background on the Cherokee Nation
The Cherokee are a Native American tribe that originally inhabited parts of the Southeastern United States, including areas of Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. By the late 18th century, the Cherokee nation had adopted some elements of European-American culture, including European farming and clothing styles. Some Cherokee even owned African-American slaves. The Cherokee Nation developed a written language and established a republican form of government.
However, the Cherokee Nation was not a unified political entity. There were several distinct groups or factions within the Cherokee people. These included:
The Upper Towns Cherokee
The Upper Towns Cherokee inhabited areas of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, including along the Hiwassee and Little Tennessee Rivers. They tended to be more resistant to European-American settlement and adopted more traditional cultural practices.
The Overhill Cherokee
The Overhill Cherokee lived in eastern Tennessee in the vicinity of the Little Tennessee and Tellico Rivers. They were more directly impacted by European settlement and had closer alliances with British traders.
The Lower Towns Cherokee
The Lower Towns Cherokee inhabited areas of western South Carolina, northern Georgia and eastern Alabama. They were more assimilated into European-American society and culture compared to other Cherokee groups.
The Middle Towns Cherokee
As their name suggests, the Middle Towns Cherokee lived in central North Carolina between the Upper and Lower Towns regions. They sought neutrality between factions.
Chief Redbird’s Background
Many historians believe that Chief Redbird was part of the tribe known as the Overhill Cherokee. He lived in a village called Chota located along the Little Tennessee River near modern Vonore, Tennessee. Chota was the largest of the Overhill Cherokee towns. Redbird served on the Cherokee National Council, representing the Overhill towns.
Chief Redbird was born sometime around the 1750s. His Cherokee name was Oukah-Ulah, but he was dubbed “Redbird” by European traders and negotiators. This was likely due to his reputation as a skillful orator.
Actions as Leader of the Overhill Cherokee
As a member of the Cherokee National Council, Redbird advocated for stronger unification among the different Cherokee factions. He sought to strengthen Cherokee sovereignty and resist further encroachment by American settlers.
In 1783, Redbird was part of a Cherokee delegation who signed the Treaty of Augusta with the new United States government. This followed the American Revolutionary War. The treaty established peace between the Cherokee Nation and the United States.
However, land disputes continued. Redbird was involved in negotiating the Treaty of Holston in 1791. This treaty fixed boundaries between Cherokee lands and American settlements in what is now Tennessee.
Role in Internal Cherokee Power Struggles
Redbird also played a role in the internal political divisions among the Cherokee. He was part of a traditionalist faction that resisted acculturation and wanted to preserve Cherokee cultural identity.
In 1808, Redbird supported the warrior Doublehead in overthrowing the Cherokee leader Black Fox, who was seen as too accommodating to American demands. Doublehead and Redbird’s faction assumed control of the Cherokee National Council.
Redbird later shifted his allegiance to support the Cherokee leader Pathkiller, who ascended as Principal Chief in 1811. Pathkiller was also resistant to further land cessions to the United States.
Redbird’s Death and Legacy
Chief Redbird died in 1821 at his home village of Chota. Despite his efforts, the Cherokee Nation underwent further land loss and removal beginning in the 1820s under President Andrew Jackson’s Indian Removal Act policy. This culminated in the tragic Trail of Tears, the forced relocation of the Cherokee Nation to Oklahoma in the late 1830s.
Despite this difficult history, Redbird is remembered as an influential Cherokee leader who advocated for his people’s interests and tried to strengthen the sovereignty of the Cherokee Nation during a period of tremendous change and upheaval. Many of the problems Redbird sought to resolve continued to impact the Cherokee Nation for generations.
Geographic Distribution of the Cherokee Nation and Chief Redbird’s Tribe
Cherokee Tribe | Location |
---|---|
Upper Towns Cherokee | Western North Carolina, Eastern Tennessee |
Overhill Cherokee | Eastern Tennessee |
Lower Towns Cherokee | Western South Carolina, Northern Georgia, Eastern Alabama |
Middle Towns Cherokee | Central North Carolina |
Chief Redbird’s Tribe | Overhill Cherokee, Eastern Tennessee |
This table summarizes the geographic distribution of the four main Cherokee tribes, as well as Chief Redbird’s Overhill Cherokee tribe based in eastern Tennessee. As the table conveys, Redbird and his tribe inhabited areas near the Little Tennessee River in present-day Monroe County and Loudon County, Tennessee. This is where the Overhill Cherokee towns, including Redbird’s home village of Chota, were concentrated.
Conclusion
In summary, Chief Redbird was an influential leader of the Overhill Cherokee tribe that inhabited eastern Tennessee during the late 1700s and early 1800s. He advocated for Cherokee sovereignty and resistance to United States expansion onto Cherokee lands. Redbird also participated in the political divisions within the Cherokee Nation, supporting leaders like Doublehead and Pathkiller who resisted acculturation and further ceding of land. Although Redbird did not achieve long-term success in preventing Cherokee relocation, he remains a symbolic leader who fought for his people at a difficult time of change. By examining the historical geographic distribution of the Cherokee tribes, it is clear Redbird belonged to and led the Overhill Cherokee of eastern Tennessee. His legacy reflects the complex history of the Cherokee Nation during the early years of the United States.