SE-QUO-YAH – a lithograph from Indian Tribes, McKinney and Hall, 1856. This lithograph is from the portrait painted by Charles Bird King from life in 1828.

Sequoyah (ᏍᏏᏉᏱ S-si-quo-ya^[1] in Cherokee) (c.1767 - 1843), known as George Guess, Guest or Gist, was a Cherokee silversmith who invented the Cherokee syllabary, thus earning him a place on the list of inventors of writing systems. Sequoia or Sequoyah is the name of: In biology Sequoia (Coast Redwood), Sequoiadendron (Giant Sequoia), and Metasequoia, three genera of tree comprising the subfamily Sequoioideae in the family Cupressaceae In geography Sequoia National Park, Sequoia National Forest, and Giant Sequoia National Monument, three publicly owned lands in the Sierra Nevadas... An example of a web browser (Internet Explorer), displaying the English Wikipedia main page. ... Download high resolution version (500x720, 58 KB)Picture of Sequoyah from the danish Wikipedia. ... Download high resolution version (500x720, 58 KB)Picture of Sequoyah from the danish Wikipedia. ... Lithography is a method for printing on a smooth surface, as well as a method of manufacturing semiconductor and MEMS devices. ... 1856 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Year 1828 (MDCCCXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Thursday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Original distribution of the Cherokee language Cherokee (; Tsalagi) is an Iroquoian language spoken by the Cherokee people which uses a unique syllabary writing system. ... 1767 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Year 1843 (MDCCCXLIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... For other uses, see Cherokee (disambiguation). ...   Sequoyah Cherokee is written in a syllabary invented by Sequoyah (also known as George Guess). ... This is a chronological list of any individuals, legendary or real, who are purported by traditions to have invented alphabets or other writing systems, whether this is proven or not. ...

Birth and early life

The exact place and date of Sequoyah's birth are unknown, since no written record exists. James Mooney, a prominent anthropologist and historian of the Cherokee people, quoted a cousin in saying that Sequoyah spent his early years with his mother in the village of Tuskegee, Tennessee. His father name Nathaniel Gist, a Virginia fur trader. His mom name is Wut-teh, the daughter of the Cherokee Chief. James Mooney (1861-1921) was a notable anthropologist who lived for several years among the Cherokee. ... Tuskegee was an Overhill Cherokee village originally on the bank of the Tennessee River at the mouth of the Tellico River. ...

The names Sequoyah or Sequoia are both spellings given by missionaries, as corruptions of the Cherokee name Sogwali or Sikwâ'yǐ which is believed to be derived from the Cherokee word siqua meaning 'hog'. This is either a reference to a childhood deformity or a later injury that left Sequoyah disabled. Of his mother, it is known that she was a Cherokee and belonged to the Paint Clan. Mooney states that she was the niece of a Cherokee chief. His father was either white or part-white and part Native American. Sources differ as to the exact identity of Sequoyah's father, but many (including Mooney) suggest that he was possibly a fur trader or the son of Christopher Gist or Nathaniel Gist, a scout for George Washington. Hog is a domestic or feral adult swine. ... Look up disability in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Native Americans are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States, including parts of Alaska. ... The fur trade was a huge part in the early economic development of North America. ... Christopher Gist (1706 – 1759) was one of the first white explorers of the Ohio Country in what would become the United States, credited for providing Great Britain and her colonists with the first detailed description of the Ohio Country. ... Mixed reconnaissance patrol of the Polish Home Army and the Soviet Red Army during Operation Tempest, 1944 Reconnaissance is the military term for the active gathering of information about an enemy, or other conditions, by physical observation. ... George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799)[1] led Americas Continental Army to victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and was later elected the first president of the United States under the U.S. Constitution. ...

The fact that Sequoyah did not speak English may be an indication that he and his mother were abandoned by his father. At some point before 1809, Sequoyah moved to the Willstown of Alabama. There he established his trade as a silversmith. He may have fought in the Creek War between 1813 and 1814 against the Red Sticks. If he in fact was disabled, it is highly unlikely that he would have fought, but his disability could have even been a result of the battle itself. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Year 1809 (MDCCCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar). ... Willstown was an important village in the southernmost part of the Cherokee Nation prior to the Indian Removal of 1836, the site of Willstown is now occupied by the town of Fort Payne, Alabama. ... Combatants United States Lower Creeks Cherokees Red Sticks (Creek Indians) Commanders Andrew Jackson John Coffee William McIntosh William Weatherford Menawa Peter McQueen Strength 7,000 4,000 Casualties 500 Settlers 125 Soldiers 1,900 The Creek War (1813–1814), also known as the Red Stick War and the Creek Civil... Year 1813 (MDCCCXIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar). ... Year 1814 (MDCCCXIV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... Red Sticks is the English term for a faction of Creek Indians (known as mvskoke in the language). ...

"Talking Leaves" and a syllabary

Example of characters from Sequoyah's syllabary. The first three characters together read tsalagi which means "Cherokee."

As a silversmith, Sequoyah dealt regularly with whites who had settled in the area. Often, the Native Americans were impressed by their writing, referring to their correspondence as "talking leaves." Around 1809, Sequoyah began work to create a system of writing for the Cherokee language. From 1828 to 1834 the language was used in the Cherokee Phoenix which represented the Cherokee Nation. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... A family of Russian settlers in the Caucasus region, ca. ... Scribe Writing Writing, in its most common sense, is the preservation and the preserved text on a medium, with the use of signs or symbols. ... Year 1809 (MDCCCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar). ... The Cherokee Phoenix was the first Indian published newspaper. ... Alternate meanings: Cherokee (disambiguation) The Cherokee are a people native to North America who first inhabited what is now the eastern and southeastern United States before most were forcefully moved to the Ozark Plateau. ...

After attempting to create a character for each word, Sequoyah decided to divide each word into syllables and create one character for each syllable. Utilizing the Roman alphabet and quite possibly the Cyrillic alphabet, he created 86 characters to represent the various syllables. This work took Sequoyah 12 years to complete. A Chinese character. ... This article discusses the unit of speech. ... The Latin alphabet, also called the Roman alphabet, is the most widely used alphabetic writing system in the world today. ... The Cyrillic alphabet (pronounced , also called azbuka, from the old name of the first two letters) is an alphabet used for several East and South Slavic languages—Belarusian, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Russian, Rusyn, Serbian, and Ukrainian—and many other languages of the former Soviet Union, Asia and Eastern Europe. ...

There was some doubt amongst his fellow Cherokee as to the worthiness of his syllabary. In order to prove his creation, Sequoyah taught his daughter Ah-yo-ka how to read and write in Cherokee. After amazing locals with his new writing, Sequoyah attempted to display his feat to tribal medicine men only to be rebuffed by them for being possessed by evil spirits. Sequoyah finally proved his feat to a gathering of Chickamaugan warriors. Quickly news of the syllabary spread and the Cherokee were filling schools in order to learn the new written language. By 1823 the syllabary was in full use by the Cherokee Nation. The writing system was made official by the Cherokee Nation in 1825. Reading is a process of retrieving and comprehending some form of stored information or ideas. ... Medicine man is an English term used to describe Native American religious figures; such individuals are analogous to shamans. ... Spiritual possession is a concept of many religions and tales, where it is believed that a demon, or disincarnate being, may take temporary control of a human body, resulting in noticeable changes in behaviour. ... The English word spirit comes from the Latin spiritus (breath). // The English word spirit comes from the Latin spiritus, meaning breath (compare spiritus asper), but also soul, courage, vigor, ultimately from a PIE root *(s)peis- (to blow). In the Vulgate, the Latin word translates Greek (πνευμα), pneuma (Hebrew (רוח) ruah), as... Chickamauga, or Chickamauga-Cherokee, was a term used by colonial and early Americans to differentiate between the pro-British Cherokee led by Dragging Canoe, and those abiding by the peace treaties signed in 1777 at DeWitts Corner with Georgia and South Carolina and at Fort Henry with Virginia and... 17th Century Brazilian Tapuia A warrior is a person habitually engaged in warfare. ... Students in Rome, Italy. ... 1823 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway 1825 (MDCCCXXV) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

Life in Arkansas and further west

After the acceptance of his syllabary by the nation in 1825, Sequoyah walked to the new Cherokee territory in Arkansas. There he set up a blacksmith shop and a salt works. He continued to teach the syllabary to anyone who came to him. In 1828, Sequoyah journeyed to Washington, D.C. as part of a delegation to negotiate a treaty for land in Oklahoma. Official language(s) English Capital Little Rock Largest city Little Rock Area  Ranked 29th  - Total 53,179 sq mi (137,002 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 261 miles (420 km)  - % water 2. ... A blacksmith A blacksmith at work A blacksmith at work A blacksmiths fire Hot metal work from a blacksmith A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from iron or steel by forging the metal; i. ... Year 1828 (MDCCCXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Thursday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Nickname: Motto: Justitia Omnibus (=Justice for All) Location of Washington, D.C., in relation to the states Maryland and Virginia Coordinates: Country United States Federal District District of Columbia Government  - Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D)  - City Council Chairperson: Vincent C. Gray (D) Ward 1: Jim Graham (D) Ward 2: Jack... Delegation is handing a task over to a subordinate. ... Official language(s) None Capital Oklahoma City Largest city Oklahoma City Area  Ranked 20th  - Total 69,960 sq mi (181,196 km²)  - Width 230 miles (370 km)  - Length 298 miles (480 km)  - % water 1. ...

His trip brought him into contact with representatives of other Native American tribes from around the nation. With these meetings he decided to create a syllabary for universal use among all Native American tribes. With this in mind, Sequoyah began to journey to areas of present day Arizona and New Mexico seeking tribes there. Official language(s) English Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Area  Ranked 6th  - Total 113,998 sq mi (295,254 km²)  - Width 310 miles (500 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 0. ... Capital Santa Fe Largest city Albuquerque Area  Ranked 5th  - Total 121,665 sq mi (315,194 km²)  - Width 342 miles (550 km)  - Length 370 miles (595 km)  - % water 0. ...

In addition, Sequoyah dreamed of seeing the splintered Cherokee Nation reunited. It was on a trip seeking Cherokees who had moved to Mexico that he died between 1843 and 1845. The alphabet included letters like xta which means extra.

Sequoyah's namesakes

• The name of the district where Sequoyah had lived in Oklahoma was changed to Sequoyah District in 1851. When Oklahoma was admitted to the union, that area became known as Sequoyah County.
• The Sequoia tree is generally thought to be named after him (see, for instance, the OED). Some botanists have challenged this claim ^{[verification needed]}.
• The proposed State of Sequoyah was named in his honor.
• Sequoyah High School (Oklahoma) is a Native American Boarding School named after the inventor of the Cherokee syllabary.
• Sequoyah Research Center is a research center dedicated to collecting and archiving Native American thought and literature.
• Mount Sequoyah in the Great Smoky Mountains was named in honor of Sequoyah. It is among the most remote mountains in the range.

1851 (MDCCCLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Sequoyah County may refer to more than one place in the United States, generally named after Cherokee leader Sequoyah. ... Binomial name Sequoia sempervirens (D. Don) Endl. ... OED stands for Oxford English Dictionary Office of Enrollment & Discipline This page concerning a three-letter acronym or abbreviation is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The State of Sequoyah was the proposed name for what proved to be an abortive attempt by Native Americans in the early years of the 20th century to establish a U.S. state in the eastern part of what is now Oklahoma. ... Sequoyah High School is a Native American boarding school serving students in grades 7-12 who are members of a federally recognized Native American tribe. ... The Seqouyah Research Center (SRC) is home of the American Native Press Archives (ANPA). ... The Appalachian Trail crossing Mt. ... A rainy day in the Great Smoky Mountains, Western North Carolina Appalachian Mountain system The Great Smoky Mountains are a major mountain range in the southern part of the Appalachian Mountains, the second ridge line forming a north-south running mountain chain from the eastern seaboard and bordering the western...

References

1. ^ Holmes, Ruth Bradley, and Smith, Betty Sharp. 1976. ᏔᎵᏍᎪ ᎦᎵᏉᎩ ᏗᏕᎵᏆᏍᏙᏗ ᏣᎳᎩ ᏗᎪᏪᎵ / Beginning Cherokee. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, p. 291.

External links

• Invention of the Cherokee Alphabet published in the Cherokee Phoenix
• The Life and Work of Sequoyah; Chronicles of Oklahoma
• Sequoyah (New Georgia Encyclopedia)
• The Father of Sequoyah: Nathaniel Gist; Chronicles of Oklahoma
• Sequoyah from Tiro Typeworks
• Sequoyah (aka George Gist), a North Georgia Notable
• The Cherokee Nation
• The Official Cherokee Font