The Effects of Colonization on
Southeastern Tribal Life:
Cherokee
Catawba
Yemassee
Native Americans in South Carolina
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Indians or Native Americans were the first people to
live on the land that is now South Carolina.
Some people think that there were originally between
40-50 different tribes in S.C.
The three main tribes or groups that occupied S.C. are
the Catawba Indians, the Cherokee Indians, and the
Yemassee Indians.
The Native Americans lived throughout the state.
Some lived near the coast, some lived in the
lowlands, and some lived into the mountainous areas
of S.C.
Three Main Tribes of South
Carolina prior to Colonization
Cherokee Indians
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South Carolina’s largest tribe of
Native Americans were the
Cherokee tribe.
The Cherokee Indians lived in the
northwestern part of the state.
Towns built up along rivers of the
Up Country.
The Cherokee Indians built towns
along rivers to have access for
fishing and traveling by canoe to
other Cherokee towns for trading.
Cherokee Agriculture and Hunting
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Agriculture: The Cherokee were farmers, hunters and gatherers. They
grew corn, squash and beans, along with pumpkin, melons, sunflowers,
tobacco, and other crops. Corn was the most important food. The women
made sure they planted enough crops to provide food for two years.
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Hunting & Fishing: The Cherokee were wonderful hunters. Legend says
... They could hit a fly from 30 feet away. They did not hunt for sport. The
men only hunted what they needed to feed their families. Every part of the
animal was used. The most important animal for their needs was the deer.
They hunted turtles for food and used turtle shells for rattles.
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Tools: They made blowguns, bows and arrows, animal traps, nets to catch
fish, and spears.
Cherokee Clothing
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Clothing: Women wore deerskin tops, skirts, and
moccasins. Men wore deerskin loin clothes in the
summer, and added leggings, shirts, and robes in the
winter, all made of deerskin.
Tattoos and Body Paint: Men commonly decorated
their bodies and faces with tattoos or paint.
Jewelry/Beads: They made jewelry of shells and
silver. Women made painted clay beads.
Cherokee Government
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Red Chief, White Chief: The Cherokee lived in villages.
Each village had two chiefs - a "white" chief who led in times
of peace, and a "red" chief who led in times of war. Unless the
Cherokee were at war, the war chief had nothing to do except
drill and keep himself and his warriors fit. This was very
smart. The Cherokee could response instantly to a war threat
with able leadership.
Village Council: Peace chiefs did not rule alone. They had
able council. In peacetime, his right-hand and his speaker,
along with six other men, helped the chief. These 9 men made
up the Village Council. The Council made important decisions
for the village.
Cherokee Life
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Village Life: The Cherokee lived in villages. Each village was home to about 400-500 people.
In each village, there were 30-60 homes, a plaza, a town square, and a council house large
enough to hold all the villagers during a village meeting.
Winter Round Homes: Round homes were made of wood, and covered with mud for
additional protection against the cold. Homes had bark roofs. The homes were decorated with
colorful rugs, baskets, and wall hangings. Each home had a fire burning in the center. Homes
had smoke holes at the top to let out the smoke.
Summer Rectangle Homes: Summer homes were bigger. They were made in the shape of
huge rectangles. Cone shaped roofs were made of bark and covered with long grass. The
house was made with long sticks. These homes were cool, airy and let in light.
Cherokee Arts and Crafts
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Canoes: Canoes were carved from wood.
Clay Pots: The Cherokee dug clay. They used the clay to make handmade
pots. While the clay was still wet, natives decorated the pots with designs
made with sticks and stones. Then pots were baked in the fire to give them
strength. They used clay pots as cooking utensils, liquid holders, and
planters.
Carved Pipes: The Cherokee carved pipes from clay, wood, and soapstone.
Pipes used in religion ceremonies and peace ceremonies were carefully
decorated.
Masks & Rattles: In olden days, only the men made masks. Cherokee men
carved ferocious masks from wood. They painted them. Sometimes they
added fur decorations. Warriors used these scary masks to make fun of their
enemies. Before a battle, the warriors would dance around wearing scary
masks and laugh. This type of mask was called a Booger Mask.
They made rattles to scare away evil spirits. They also used rattles to invite
the attention of good spirits. Rattles were made with turtle shells filled with
corn kernels. Some rattles were made from gourds and squashes.
Double Wall Baskets: In olden days, only the women made baskets.
Baskets had fancy designs and were made in a special way with double
weaving using river cane. This method made the baskets sturdy. Designs
were handed down from mother to daughter.
Catawba Indian History
• South Carolina’s second largest tribe of
Native Americans was the Catawba tribe.
• The Catawba Indians lived in the Piedmont
region of South Carolina. Their name
means “River People.” They settled near
the Catawba River.
• The Rock Hill area is home to many of the
descendents of the Catawba. The Catawba
Indians spoke Sioux language.
Catawba Agriculture and Hunting
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Farming – Corn, beans, and squash
Fishing – Variety of freshwater fish
Hunting – Deer, other game
They used snares and homemade nets for
fishing.
Bow and arrows were used for hunting game.
Catawba Clothing
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Men – Loin cloths made of deerskin. When they went
to war, they painted a black circle around one eye and
a white circle around the other.
Women – Knee-length skirts of deerskin
During winter and when traveling, men and women
wore pants, leggings, and capes made of various
animal hides.
Men and women wore jewelry made of shells, beads,
and copper. On special occasions, they painted their
skin.
Catawba Beliefs, Practices, and
Government
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The Catawba worshiped a deity known as "He-Who-NeverDies."
The tribe usually had one or more priests or healers who
conducted religious rituals and provided herbal medicines.
The Catawba believed that the soul of a person who had been
killed demanded retribution in order to rest in peace. If a
member of the tribe was killed, men would go out to avenge
the death. If successful, the men would bring back a scalp as
evidence of revenge.
Each Catawba village had a council that made laws and
decisions. The village chief was the council leader.
Yemassee Indians History
• Another tribe in South Carolina was the Yemassee tribe.
• Not much is known about the Yemassee tribe of long ago.
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The Yemassee lived along the coast of Florida and Georgia
until the Spanish tried to make them slaves. As a result,
tribe members traveled to the Low Country of South
Carolina.
• They built towns near the Savannah River and the
Combahee River. Building near rivers made it easy for
them to fish, cook, wash, drink, and travel by canoe to
other villages and towns for trade.
Yemassee Agriculture and Hunting
• Their land was farmed by the men and
women. They ate shellfish such as clams
and oysters that they caught in the ocean.
They also hunted animals.
• It is not known whether this tribe did any
farming. Being near to the coast, farming
may not have been an option.
Yemassee Dwellings and Beliefs
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The Yemassee tribe lived in homes near the
beach during warmer months but moved
inland to villages during the colder months.
Huts were made of logs with thatched palmetto
roofs.
Indian mounds were used as burial sites.
First Contact
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When the Europeans arrived in the late 1400s,
there were hundreds of Native American
cultures in the Americas.
All of these cultures spoke different languages
and had different beliefs. The settlers thought
they were all one group.
Contact between these two cultures would
change life in the Americas forever.
Prior to Colonization
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Before Europeans came to North America,
Native Americans traded with each other and
learned from one another.
Different tribes had different ways of life. All
Native Americans respected the earth.
Why Colonists Left Their Homeland
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Many settlers came to America for religious
freedom.
Others believed America had unspoiled land
that could be turned into farmland. Europeans
thought owning land was a sign of success.
Some Europeans went to America to fish, hunt,
and trap animals for fur.
First Impressions
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Many Native Americans welcomed Europeans
at first.
They believed in sharing the land and its many
resources.
The settlers found this new group of people
strange and scary because they were different.
The Native Americans and the colonists had
much to learn from each other.
Native American Contributions
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Corn was the most important crop in the
Americas. The Native Americans showed the
settlers how to produce corn, maple syrup,
sugar cane, and grains.
Cash crops such as tobacco and cotton were
also introduced to the settlers. Many of them
saw this as a way to get rich.
Wild turkey and buffalo were two animals that
were new to the settlers.
Colonists’ Contributions
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The colonists brought many things from Europe that
changed the lives of Native Americans. Some helped
Native Americans while others hindered their way of
life.
Europeans brought different kinds of animals to the
Americas. Among these animals were pigs, cattle,
goats, and sheep.
The introduction of the horse had the greatest impact
on Native American life. Although many natives were
weary of the animal, it changed the way they traveled,
hunted, and fought.
Colonists’ Contribution con’t.
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Colonists arrived with metal tools and weapons
which were unfamiliar to Native Americans.
Europeans arrived with their religious beliefs.
Missionaries tried to convert some Native Americans
to Christianity.
The arrival of the colonists brought a variety of
deadly diseases. It is believed that 50 to 90 percent of
Native Americans died from European diseases.
Trade
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Trading was important to Native Americans
and settlers.
Usually, goods were bartered or exchanged
between Native Americans and settlers.
The Native Americans traded deerskins and
animal furs for European goods. Knives, axes,
and guns were in great demand.
Different Beliefs
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Most Native Americans saw themselves as caretakers of the
earth. They did not believe in owning land. Everyone could
use the earth’s resources, but people should never take more
than they needed and they should not be wasteful. When they
took something, they believed something should be given
back.
The settlers had different beliefs. They held no regard for
earth’s resources and felt these resources would last forever.
Most settlers wanted to own land for farming or ranching.
Owning land was a sign a wealth
These different beliefs caused problems between the Native
Americans and the settlers.
Endless Conflict
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Due to the different beliefs of Native Americans and
settlers regarding the ownership of land, violence and
bloodshed began to dominate the Americas.
Land-hungry settlers built farms and towns on Native
American hunting grounds.
Settlers destroyed Native American villages and
forced some Native Americans to relocate on
reservations and change their way of life.
Many wars were fought over land including The
Yemassee War in 1715 which virtually decimated the
whole tribe.
Trail of Tears
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Trail of Tears was the Cherokee name for what the Americans called Indian
Removal.
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During the 1800's, the US government created an "Indian Territory" in Oklahoma
and sent all the eastern Native American tribes to live there. Some tribes willingly
agreed to this plan. Other tribes didn't want to go, and the United States Army
forced them to relocate.
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Life Forever Altered
"This war did not spring up here in our land. It
was brought upon us by the children of the
Great Father (whites) who came to take our
land from us without price, and who do many
evil things. . . . It seems to me that there is a
better way than this. When people come to
trouble it is better for both parties to come
together without arms, to talk it over, and find
some peaceful way to settle." (Spotted Tail
Brule, Sioux leader, 1877)