Creek
Flag of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation
Total population	50,000-60,000
Regions with significant populations	United States (Oklahoma, Alabama)
Language	English, Creek
Religion	Protestantism, other
Related ethnic groups	Five Civilized Tribes

The Creek are an American Indian people originally from the southeastern United States, also known by their original name Muscogee (or Muskogee), the name they use to identify themselves today. Mvskoke is their name in traditional spelling. Modern Muscogees live primarily in Oklahoma, Alabama, and Florida. Their language, Mvskoke, is a member of the Creek branch of the Muskogean language family. The Seminole are close kin to the Muscogee and speak a Creek language as well. The Creeks are one of the Five Civilized Tribes. Template:ROXANA This article is about the U.S. State. ... Official language(s) English Capital Montgomery Largest city Birmingham Area  - Total   - Width   - Length    - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 30th 52,423 sq mi  135,775 km² 190 miles  306 km 330 miles  531 km 3. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... The Creek Language, also known as Muscogee (Mvskoke in Creek), is a Muskogean language spoken by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and Seminole Indians in Florida and Oklahoma. ... Protestantism is a movement within Christianity, representing the splitting away from the Roman Catholic Church during the mid-to-late Renaissance in Europe—a period known as the Protestant Reformation. ... The Five Civilized Tribes is the term applied to five Aboriginal American nations which lived in the Southeastern United States before their removal to other parts of country, especially the future Oklahoma. ... A Sioux in traditional dress including war bonnet, circa 1908. ... Template:ROXANA This article is about the U.S. State. ... Official language(s) English Capital Montgomery Largest city Birmingham Area  - Total   - Width   - Length    - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 30th 52,423 sq mi  135,775 km² 190 miles  306 km 330 miles  531 km 3. ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 22nd 170,451 km² 260 km 800 km 17. ... The Creek Language, also known as Muscogee (Mvskoke in Creek), is a Muskogean language spoken by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and Seminole Indians in Florida and Oklahoma. ... Pre-contact distribution of Muskogean languages Muskogean (also Muskhogean, Muskogee) is a language family of the U.S. Southeast. ... The Seminole are a Native American Indian people of Florida. ... The Five Civilized Tribes is the term applied to five Aboriginal American nations which lived in the Southeastern United States before their removal to other parts of country, especially the future Oklahoma. ...

Early history

The early historic Creeks were probably descendants of the mound builders of the Mississippian culture. More of a loose confederacy than a single tribe, the Muscogee lived in autonomous villages in river valleys throughout what are today the states of Georgia and Alabama and consisted of many ethnic groups speaking several distinct languages. Those who lived along the Ocmulgee River were called "Creek Indians" by British traders from South Carolina; eventually the name was applied to all of the various natives of the region. The Mississippian culture was a mound-building Native American culture that flourished in the Midwestern, Eastern, and Southeastern United States from approximately 900 to 1500 A.D., varying a bit regionally. ... The Ocmulgee River near Macon The Ocmulgee River (ok-MUHL-gee) is a tributary of the Altamaha River, approximately 255 mi (410 km) long, in the U.S. state of Georgia. ... Official language(s) English Capital Columbia Largest city Columbia Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 40th 82,965 km² 320 km 420 km 6 32°430N to 35°12N 78°030W to 83°20W Population  - Total (2000)  - Density Ranked 26th 4,012...

Creeks engaged in trade with their new British neighbors, receiving European trade goods in exchange for deerskins and Indian slaves captured in Florida. In the eighteenth century, Creeks began to intermarry with British traders as well as runaway African slaves. Differences in geography and interaction with Europeans eventually led to the Creek towns becoming increasingly divided between the Lower Towns of the Georgia frontier (on the Chattahoochee, Ocmulgee and Flint Rivers), and the Upper Towns of the Alabama River Valley. It has been suggested that Chattel slavery be merged into this article or section. ... The Chattahoochee River runs from the Chattahoochee Spring in the mountains of northeast Georgia, southwestward by Atlanta and through its suburbs, then turns southward to form the southern half of the Georgia/Alabama state line. ... The Ocmulgee River near Macon The Ocmulgee River (ok-MUHL-gee) is a tributary of the Altamaha River, approximately 255 mi (410 km) long, in the U.S. state of Georgia. ... The Flint River is an approximately 150 mi (240 km) long river, in the U.S. state of Georgia. ... The Alabama River at Montgomery in 2004 The Alabama River, in the U.S. state of Alabama, is formed by the Tallapoosa and Coosa rivers, which unite about six miles above Montgomery. ...

Revolutionary Era

Like many Native American groups east of the Mississippi River, the Creeks were divided over which side to take in the American Revolutionary War. The Lower Creeks remained neutral; the Upper Creeks allied with the British and fought the colonial rebels. This article is about the river in the United States. ... Combatants American Revolutionaries, France, Netherlands, Spain, Native Americans Great Britain, German mercenaries, Loyalists, Native Americans Commanders George Washington, Comte de Rochambeau, Nathanael Greene William Howe, Henry Clinton, Charles Cornwallis (more commanders) The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), also known as the American War of Independence,[1] was a conflict that...

This sketch by John Trumbull shows Creek leader Hopothle Mico, probably at the time of the signing of the Treaty of New York in 1790. (more)

After the rebellion officially ended in 1783, the Creeks discovered Great Britain had ceded Creek lands to the new United States. The State of Georgia began to expand into Creek territory. Creek statesman Alexander McGillivray rose to prominence as he organized pan-Indian resistance to this encroachment and received arms from the Spanish in Florida to fight trespassing Georgians. McGillivray worked to create a sense of Creek nationalism and to centralize Creek authority, struggling against village leaders who individually sold land to the United States. With the Treaty of New York in 1790, McGillivray ceded a significant portion of Creek lands to the United States under the administration of George Washington in exchange for federal recognition of Creek sovereignty within the remaining territory. However, McGillivray died in 1793 and Georgia continued to expand into Creek territory. Image File history File links AMcgillvray. ... Image File history File links AMcgillvray. ... John Trumbull, 1756–1843 John Trumbull (June 6, 1756–November 10, 1843), was a famous American artist from the time of the American Revolutionary War. ... The Treaty of New york was a treaty, signed in 1790 between leaders of the Native American Creek people, and Henry Knox, then Secretary of War for the United States. ... 1783 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Alexander McGillivray (1750 – 17 February 1793) was a leader of the Creek (Muscogee) Indians during and after the American Revolution who worked to establish a Creek national identity and centralized leadership as a means of resisting American expansion onto Creek territory. ... The Treaty of New york was a treaty, signed in 1790 between leaders of the Native American Creek people, and Henry Knox, then Secretary of War for the United States. ... 1790 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... For other people named George Washington, see George Washington (disambiguation). ... 1793 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

Red Stick War

The Creek War of 1813-1814, also known as the Red Stick War, began as a civil war within the Creek Nation, only to become enmeshed within the War of 1812. Inspired by the fiery eloquence of the Shawnee leader Tecumseh and their own religious leaders, Creeks from the Upper Towns, known to whites as Red Sticks, sought to aggressively resist white encroachment and the "civilizing" programs administered by U.S. Indian Agent Benjamin Hawkins. Red Stick leaders William Weatherford (Red Eagle), Peter McQueen and Menawa violently clashed with the Lower Creeks led by William McIntosh, who were allied with the Americans. The Creek War of 1813-1814 began as a civil war within the Creek Nation. ... 1813 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1814 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... A civil war is a war in which parties within the same culture, society or nationality fight for political power or control of an area. ... The War of 1812 (in Britain, the American War of 1812), was fought between the United States and British Empire from 1812 to 1815, on land in North America and at sea around the world. ... The Shawnee, or Shawano, are a people native to North America. ... This 1848 drawing of Tecumseh was based on a sketch done from life in 1808. ... Red Sticks is the English term for a faction of Creek Indians (known as mvskoke in the language). ... Sen. ... William Weatherford, also known as Red Eagle (1780–March 24, 1824), was a Creek (Muscogee) American Indian who led the Creek War offensive during the War of 1812 against the United States. ... Peter McQueen ca. ... Menawas portrait was painted by Charles Bird King when Menawa visited Washington, D.C. in 1826 to protest the Treaty of Indian Springs. ... William McIntosh William McIntosh (1775-1825), also known as White Warrior, was the son of Captain William McIntosh, a member of a prominent Savannah, Georgia family sent into the Creek Nation to recruit them to fight for the British during the Revolutionary War {Captain McIntoshs mother was a sister...

On August 30, 1813, Red Sticks led by Red Eagle attacked the American outpost of Fort Mims near Mobile, Alabama, where white Americans and their Indian allies had gathered. The Red Sticks took the fort and a horrifying massacre ensued, as prisoners — including women and children — were butchered. Nearly 250 people were killed, spreading panic throughout the American southwestern frontier. August 30 is the 242nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (243rd in leap years), with 123 days remaining. ... 1813 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Fort Mims Massacre External Links A Drawing of Fort Mims Description of Massacre at Rootsweb Categories: Battles of the Creek War | 1813 ... Motto: Nickname: The Azalea City Map Political Statistics Founded 1702 Incorporated 1814 Mobile County Mayor Sam Jones Geographic Statistics Area  - Total  - Land  - Water 412. ...

In response to the massacre at Fort Mims, Tennessee, Georgia, and the Mississippi Territory sent armies deep into Creek country. Outnumbered and poorly armed, the Red Sticks put up a desperate fight from their wilderness strongholds. On March 27, 1814, General Andrew Jackson's Tennessee militia, aided by the 39th U. S. Infantry Regiment and Cherokee and Creek allies, finally crushed Red Stick resistance at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend on the Tallapoosa River. Official language(s) English Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 36th 109,247 km² 195 km 710 km 2. ... all about mississippi! Mississippi state bird is a mocking bird mississippi state tree is mangoila tree ... March 27 is the 86th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (87th in Leap years). ... 1814 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845), was the first governor of Florida (1821), seventh President of the United States (1829-1837), hero of the Battle of New Orleans (1815), a founder of the Democratic Party, and the eponym of the era of Jacksonian democracy. ... Lexington Minuteman representing militia minuteman John Parker A militia is a group of citizens organized to provide paramilitary service. ... For other uses, see Cherokee (disambiguation). ... Combatants Creek Indians Red Sticks United States Cherokee Creek allies Commanders Menawa Andrew Jackson Strength 1,000 Red Stick Creek about 2,000 infantry 700 mounted infantry 600 Cherokee and Lower Creeks Casualties 800 49 killed 154 wounded The Battle of Horseshoe Bend was fought during the War of 1812... The Tallapoosa River is a river that runs from the southern end of the Appalachian Mountains in Georgia in the United States south and west into Alabama. ...

Though the Red Sticks had been crushed — altogether, about 3000 Upper Creek died in the war — the remnants of the Upper Creek resistance held out for several months. In August of 1814, exhausted and starving, they surrendered to Jackson at Wetumpka (near the present city of Montgomery, Alabama). On August 9, 1814, the Creek were forced to sign the Treaty of Fort Jackson, which ended the conflict and required them to cede some 20 million acres (81,000 km²) of land - more than half of their ancestral territorial holdings - to the United States. Even those Creek who had fought alongside Jackson were compelled to cede territory, as Jackson held them responsible for allowing the Red Sticks to rise up. The State of Alabama was carved out of this domain and admitted to the United States in 1819. 1814 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Montgomery skyline from the banks of the Alabama River Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama. ... August 9 is the 221st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (222nd in leap years), with 144 days remaining. ... 1814 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The Treaty of Fort Jackson, also known as the Treaty with the Creeks, 1814 was signed on August 9, 1814 at Fort Jackson near Wetumpka, Alabama following the defeat of the Red Stick ( Upper Creek) resistance by United States forces at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend on the banks of... 1819 common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

Removal to the West

After the War of 1812, some Creek leaders such as William McIntosh signed a number of treaties that ceded more and more land to Georgia. Eventually, the Creek Confederacy enacted a law that made further land cessions a capital offense. Nevertheless, on February 12, 1825, McIntosh and other chiefs signed the Treaty of Indian Springs, which gave up most of the remaining Creek lands in Georgia. [1] William McIntosh William McIntosh (1775-1825), also known as White Warrior, was the son of Captain William McIntosh, a member of a prominent Savannah, Georgia family sent into the Creek Nation to recruit them to fight for the British during the Revolutionary War {Captain McIntoshs mother was a sister... February 12 is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1825 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Treaty of Indian Springs - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...

Menawa visited Washington, D.C. in 1826 to protest the Treaty of Indian Springs. Painted by Charles Bird King.

McIntosh was a cousin of Georgia governor George Troup, who saw the Creeks as a threat to white expansion in the region, and had been elected for the Democratic party on a platform of Indian removal. McIntosh's motives have been variously interpreted. Some believed he had been bribed to sell out his people; others insisted he had realized that the Creeks were going to lose their lands eventually, and that he got the best possible deal for them. [2] After the U.S. Senate ratified the treaty, McIntosh was assassinated (31 May 1825) by Creeks led by Menawa. (Major Ridge of the Cherokees later made the same choices as McIntosh, and paid the same price.) Image File history File links Painting by Charles Bird King, early 1800s. ... Image File history File links Painting by Charles Bird King, early 1800s. ... Menawas portrait was painted by Charles Bird King when Menawa visited Washington, D.C. in 1826 to protest the Treaty of Indian Springs. ... Treaty of Indian Springs - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... George M. Troup George Michael Troup (September 8, 1780 – April 26, 1856) was an American politician who served as the Governor of Georgia during the mid-1820s. ... Indian Removal was a nineteenth century policy of the government of the United States that sought to relocate American Indian (or Native American) tribes living east of the Mississippi River to lands west of the river. ... The United States Senate is the upper house of the U.S. Congress, smaller than the United States House of Representatives. ... May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining. ... 1825 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... This portrait of Major Ridge was painted by Charles Bird King in 1834. ... For other uses, see Cherokee (disambiguation). ...

The Creek National Council, led by Opothle Yohola, protested to the United States that the Treaty of Indian Springs was fraudulent. President John Quincy Adams was sympathetic, and eventually the treaty was nullified in a new agreement, the Treaty of Washington (1826). [3] Writes historian R. Douglas Hurt: "The Creeks had accomplished what no Indian nation had ever done or would do again — achieve the annulment of a ratified treaty."^[4] Portrait of Opothleyahola during the 1830s Opothleyahola, also spelled Opothle Yohola, Opothleyoholo, Hu-pui-hilth Yahola, and Hopoeitheyohola, (about 1798 – March 27, 1863) was a Muscogee Creek Indian chief, noted as a brilliant orator and spokesperson of the Upper Creek Council. ... John Quincy Adams (July 11, 1767 – February 23, 1848) was an American lawyer, diplomat, politician, and President of the United States (March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1829). ... Opothleyahola The 1826 Treaty of Washington was a settlement between the United States government and the Creek National Council of Native Americans, led by their spokesman Opothleyahola. ...

However, Governor Troup of Georgia ignored the new treaty and began to forcibly remove the Indians under the terms of the earlier treaty. At first, President Adams attempted to intervene with federal troops, but Troup called out the militia, and Adams, fearful of a civil war, conceded. As he explained to his intimates, "The Indians are not worth going to war over."

Although the Creeks had been forced from Georgia, with many Lower Creeks moving to the Indian Territory, there were still about 20,000 Upper Creeks living in Alabama. However, the state moved to abolish tribal governments and extend state laws over the Creeks. Opothle Yohola appealed to the administration of President Andrew Jackson for protection from Alabama; when none was forthcoming, the Treaty of Cusseta was signed on 24 March 1832, which divided up Creek lands into individual allotments. [5] Creeks could either sell their allotments and received funds to remove to the west, or stay in Alabama and submit to state laws. Land speculators and squatters began to defraud Creeks out of their allotments, and violence broke out, leading to the so-called "Creek War of 1836." Secretary of War Lewis Cass dispatched General Winfield Scott to end the violence by forcibly removing the Creeks to the Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River. Indian Territory in 1836 Indian Territory in 1891 Indian Territory, also known as Indian Country, Indian territory or the Indian territories, was the land set aside within the United States for the use of American Indians (Native Americans). The general borders were set by the Indian Intercourse Act of 1834. ... Portrait of Opothleyahola during the 1830s Opothleyahola, also spelled Opothle Yohola, Opothleyoholo, Hu-pui-hilth Yahola, and Hopoeitheyohola, (about 1798 – March 27, 1863) was a Muscogee Creek Indian chief, noted as a brilliant orator and spokesperson of the Upper Creek Council. ... Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845), was the first governor of Florida (1821), seventh President of the United States (1829-1837), hero of the Battle of New Orleans (1815), a founder of the Democratic Party, and the eponym of the era of Jacksonian democracy. ... Creek land ceded by the Treaty of Cusseta is shaded in blue. ... March 24 is the 83rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (84th in Leap years). ... 1832 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The Secretary of War was a member of the Presidents Cabinet, beginning with George Washingtons administration. ... Lewis Cass Campaign poster for 12th United States Presidential campaign, 1848. ... Winfield Scott Winfield Scott (June 13, 1786 – May 29, 1866) was a United States Army lieutenant general, diplomat, and presidential candidate. ... Indian Territory in 1836 Indian Territory in 1891 Indian Territory, also known as Indian Country, Indian territory or the Indian territories, was the land set aside within the United States for the use of American Indians (Native Americans). The general borders were set by the Indian Intercourse Act of 1834. ... This article is about the river in the United States. ...

The official website of the Muscogees describes the next phase in their history:

In the new nation the Lower Muscogees located their farms and plantations on the Arkansas and Verdigris rivers. The Upper Muscogees re-established their ancient towns on the Canadian River and its northern branches. The tribal towns of both groups continued to send representatives to a National Council which met near High Springs. The Muscogee Nation as a whole began to experience a new prosperity. [6]

The Muscogee Today

Spc. Stacy R. Scott, a 20-year-old Okemah, Oklahoma, native, and Creek Indian, kneads ingredients to make a Native American-style fried bread during a pow-wow at Camp Taqaddum, Iraq, September 18, 2004

Most Muscogees were removed to Indian Territory, although some remained behind. There are a number of Muscogees in Alabama living near Poarch Creek Reservation in Atmore (northeast of Mobile), as well as a number of Creeks in essentially undocumented ethnic towns in Florida. Additionally, Muscogee descendants of varying degrees of acculturation live throughout the southeastern United States. The reservation includes a bingo hall and holds an annual powwow on Thanksgiving. Okemah is a city located in Okfuskee County, Oklahoma. ... An Atsina named Assiniboin Boy Photo by Edward S. Curtis. ... Frybread (also spelled fry bread) is a Native American food, found throughout the United States. ... This article is about a Native American gathering. ... September 18 is the 261st day of the year (262nd in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Indian Territory in 1836 Indian Territory in 1891 Indian Territory, also known as Indian Country, Indian territory or the Indian territories, was the land set aside within the United States for the use of American Indians (Native Americans). The general borders were set by the Indian Intercourse Act of 1834. ... Official language(s) English Capital Montgomery Largest city Birmingham Area  - Total   - Width   - Length    - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 30th 52,423 sq mi  135,775 km² 190 miles  306 km 330 miles  531 km 3. ... Atmore is a city located in Escambia County, Alabama. ... Motto: Nickname: The Azalea City Map Political Statistics Founded 1702 Incorporated 1814 Mobile County Mayor Sam Jones Geographic Statistics Area  - Total  - Land  - Water 412. ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 22nd 170,451 km² 260 km 800 km 17. ... In 1987 the U.S. Supreme Court recognized that as sovereign political entities, Native American tribes could operate gaming facilities free of state regulation. ... This article is about a Native American gathering. ... Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is an annual holiday observed in the United States and Canada to celebrate being thankful for the things one has. ...

Though the Creek Confederacy was one of the largest Native groups, their unpopularity after the Creek War may have made them more likely to attempt assimilation into other tribes and white culture.

Famous Creek

Jim Pepper jazz musician (deceased), combined elements of Native American music and jazz. Jim Pepper (b. ...

See also

• LostWorlds.org | Ocmulgee Mounds
• Ocmulgee National Monument
• Opothleyahola

The earthlodge at Ocmulgee Ocmulgee National Monument is a U.S. National Monument located just east of Macon, Georgia. ... Portrait of Opothleyahola during the 1830s Opothleyahola, also spelled Opothle Yohola, Opothleyoholo, Hu-pui-hilth Yahola, and Hopoeitheyohola, (about 1798 – March 27, 1863) was a Muscogee Creek Indian chief, noted as a brilliant orator and spokesperson of the Upper Creek Council. ...

Notes

1. ↑  Hurt, R. Douglas, The Indian Frontier: 1763-1846 (Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2002), p. 148.

External links

• LostWorlds.org | Ocmulgee Mounds: Creek/Muskogee Origins
• Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma (official site)
• Creek (Muskogee) by Kenneth W. McIntosh -- Encyclopedia of North American Indians
• History of the Creek Indians in Georgia
• Poarch Creek Indians in Alabama
• http://www.poarchcreekindians.org/tribal_history.htm
• Comprehensive Creek Language materials online
• Bartram Seeks News of the Creeks and Seminoles. About to ascend the St. John's River, in April of 1774, William Bartram seeks information about a recent incident between the local settlers and Indians.