The Seminole Indian Culture

The Seminole Indian culture has been expressed in a number of ways, including art, basketry, and beadwork. However, did you know that their culture has been shaped for at least 12,000 years? As this tribe’s culture was formed, the Seminole became famous for things as simple as their houses. Their bravery and intelligence became known throughout the United States. As you look within their culture, you can’t help but understand why so many people marveled at their simplest items. Even today, their culture is known well throughout the nation. The Seminole Indians were unique people who had interesting houses, clothing, and wars with the United States. The Seminoles built their houses in a unique way, and the houses were built the way they
were for good reasons. Until the Indian Removal Act of 1830 went into effect, the Seminoles of North Florida built log cabin homes. When the Seminoles retreated south, they needed new structures. Because the Seminoles were being hunted, they needed homes that they could destroy easily. The homes also needed to be “suitable for life in the swamps” (Johnson). The Seminoles eventually invented the perfect homes for their circumstance. They called it the “chickee.” Chickees were raised off the ground to protect the Indians from dangerous wetland creatures. They pressed cypress logs into the ground and used them to hold up a platform. The chickee didn’t have walls because they wanted the air to flow in the hot, dry land of Florida. They wove palmetto thatch leaves together with vines, and used the material to make roofs. At first, chickees had only one floor, which the families used for sleeping space. As time went on, they began to build and perfect their new homes. Eventually, the Seminole began to construct chickees with two stories. Bigger families used both floors as sleeping areas. Smaller ones used the upper floor as a sleeping area, and used the lower floor for storage space. The clothing of the Seminole Indians was also interesting, and showed their culture in an honest way. Men wore long shirts with a belt, turbans, and grew their hair long. They wore their hair in a knot on the top of their heads. Their clothes were made of deer skin. Women wore long skirts, blouses, and wore their hair down. Their skirts were woven from Spanish moss. Additionally, they had several strings of glass beads. They received their first string when they were born, and never took it off. They added more beads as they got older. Most of the time, the Seminoles went barefoot, but some of them wore moccasins in cold weather. The Seminole Wars showed the United States how much they wanted to protect their land and family.
The Seminole Wars were made up of three main conflicts. The first war took place when Andrew Jackson and 3,000 soldiers invaded Northern Florida where the Seminole lived. The war lasted from 1817 to 1823. At the end of the first war, the Seminole officially gave most of their former tribal lands in the U.S. The second war took place from 1835 to 1842. The problem that started this war aroused in 1832 when the Paynes Landing treaty forced the indians to move to territory west of the Mississippi river. They had until 1835 to move. The treaty caused many Indians to become even more resentful towards the United States. This resentment resulted in the outbreak of the second war. In it, Seminole indian leader Osceola lead many warriors who fought against America for several years. Oscelola was a great leader and speaker. In 1837, however, he was captured under a white flag of truce. Still, the war continued without him until most of the Seminole finally surrendered in 1842. At the end of the conflict, the majority of the tribe moved to Oklahoma, while a few hundred hid in the Everglades. The third war lasted from 1855 to 1858. It was a short war compared to the others, and it wasn’t very costly for the Americans. At the end of the third war, even more Seminoles went to Oklahoma. Very few Seminole stayed. The descendants of the Seminole didn’t sign a peace treaty with the United States until
1935. After looking at all of the things that the Seminoles did, no one can deny that they were unique. The way they designed their houses and clothing prove this. Their wars prove how brave they were. In conclusion, the Seminole were smart, brave, and had an interesting way of life.