Muscogee

The Muscogee (also known as Mvskoke, Mvskokvlke, or Muscogee Creek) are a group of Indigenous peoples from the Southeastern Woodlands in the United States. Their traditional lands were in areas that are now southern Tennessee, much of Alabama, western Georgia, and parts of northern Florida. Today, many Muscogee people live in Oklahoma, where they were moved during a sad time called the Trail of Tears in the 1830s.

The Muscogee have a long history of building towns with large earthwork mounds for ceremonies and important meetings. Their ancestors were part of a network of towns and farms that lasted for hundreds of years. They were known for their farming, trade, and skilled crafts.

In the early days of the United States, the Muscogee were among the groups considered “civilized” because they adopted some ways of their European neighbors. However, they also resisted when their lands were threatened. Some Muscogee joined forces with other tribes to protect their homes, which led to conflicts with the United States.

Today, several Muscogee groups are recognized as tribes. These include the Muscogee (Creek) Nation in Oklahoma and smaller groups in Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas. The Seminole people, who formed from Muscogee who moved to Florida, also have three recognized tribes in Oklahoma and Florida. All these groups keep their traditions and languages alive today.

History

Precontact

For at least 12,000 years, people lived in what is now the Southern United States. During a time called the Woodland period, from 1000 BC to 1000 AD, they made pottery and grew crops. Later, the Mississippian culture developed, with large towns and leaders. This culture was strong in areas near the Mississippi River from 800 to 1500.

The early Muscogee people came from this Mississippian culture near the Tennessee River in what are now Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama. They tell stories of moving from west of the Mississippi River to settle along the Ocmulgee River. They fought other local groups until they became a united tribe.

Spanish expedition (1540–1543)

From 1540 to 1543, Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto traveled through areas now known as Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. These lands were home to the Muscogee people. De Soto had a large group of men with him. When his group treated the local people harshly, the Muscogee defended their land. A big battle happened where Chief Tuskaloosa led his people, but they were defeated. This battle hurt de Soto’s group a lot.

Rise of the Muscogee Confederacy

After the Spanish left, diseases brought by Europeans made many Muscogee sick. The Muscogee people joined together in a group called the Muscogee Confederacy. They lived in villages along rivers in Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama. They spoke several related languages. Each village had a leader called a mico, who worked with other leaders and elders. Families were very important, and children belonged to their mother’s family group.

British, French, and Spanish expansion

Britain, France, and Spain all wanted control over the lands where the Muscogee lived. The British and French traded with them, while the Spanish tried to bring them into their missions. In 1702, British settlers built a town in Carolina and started trading with the Muscogee for animal hides. Later, conflicts like the Yamasee War happened between the Muscogee and the settlers.

Intermarriage

Over time, some Muscogee leaders had family ties with British people. This happened because some Muscogee women had children with British men. In Muscogee society, children were part of their mother’s family group. These mixed-family leaders often spoke English and knew European ways, which helped them lead their people. They sometimes worked as traders and had strong ties to the British settlements.

American Revolutionary War

When the American Revolutionary War began, the Muscogee were divided. Some sided with the British, while others tried to stay neutral. They fought in battles, especially in the south. After the war, Britain gave Muscogee lands to the United States. Leader Alexander McGillivray resisted this and tried to protect Muscogee lands through treaties with Spain.

Muscogee and Choctaw land dispute (1790)

In 1790, the Muscogee and Choctaw argued over land near the Noxubee River. They decided to settle the dispute with a big ball game. Thousands watched as the two groups played for nearly three months. The Muscogee won, but fighting broke out, and many people were hurt or killed.

State of Muskogee and William Bowles

William Bowles, a man from Maryland, found safety among the Muscogee after leaving the British Navy. He later helped form a small country called the State of Muskogee in Florida, aiming to include many tribes and challenge American and Spanish control. He built a fort and attacked Spanish ships but was eventually captured and died in prison.

Pre-removal (late 18th–early 19th centuries)

In the late 1700s and early 1800s, leaders like Benjamin Hawkins tried to help the Muscogee adopt new ways of farming and living, similar to American settlers. This caused disagreement among the Muscogee, especially about traditional roles and ways of life. Some wanted change, while others resisted giving up their customs.

A comet, earthquakes, and Tecumseh (1811)

In March 1811, a bright comet appeared in the sky. Shawnee leader Tecumseh visited the Muscogee and said the comet was a sign. Soon after, a huge earthquake struck the Muscogee lands and the Midwest. The Muscogee and other tribes saw this as a sign to support Tecumseh’s movement against American settlers.

Red Stick rebellion

From 1813 to 1814, a group called the Red Sticks, inspired by Tecumseh, fought against American settlers and those Muscogee who supported them. They attacked a fort called Fort Mims, killing many people. This started a bigger war called the Creek War. American forces, helped by other Muscogee and Cherokee, defeated the Red Sticks at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. The Muscogee were forced to give up a lot of land.

Muscogee diaspora (1814)

After losing the war, many Muscogee who refused to give up fled to Florida. They joined with other groups and became part of the Seminole people. Later, they were involved in wars in Florida against the United States.

Seminole War

After the Creek War, some Muscogee who escaped went to Florida and helped grow the Seminole tribe. In 1814, British forces gave a fort to the Seminole, which became a safe place for escaped enslaved people. In 1816, American General Andrew Jackson attacked and destroyed this fort. The Seminole kept fighting American settlers, leading to the Seminole Wars. In 1818, Jackson invaded Florida, which eventually led Spain to give Florida to the United States.

Treaties of Indian Springs

William McIntosh, a leader of the Lower Creek, signed treaties giving away Muscogee lands to Georgia. In 1825, he signed a treaty that gave all Lower Creek lands to Georgia. This caused anger among the Muscogee, and McIntosh was killed by other Muscogee leaders. The U.S. government later made a new treaty that was better for the Muscogee, but Georgia ignored it and took their lands anyway.

Removal (1834)

After years of losing land, the Muscogee were forced to leave their homes. In 1830, Congress passed a law allowing the government to move tribes living east of the Mississippi River to Oklahoma. In 1832, the Muscogee agreed to leave and move west. Most were moved during a sad journey called the Trail of Tears in 1834. Some Muscogee stayed behind, but most went to Oklahoma.

American Civil War (1861)

When the American Civil War began in 1861, some Muscogee leaders sided with the Union, while others supported the Confederacy. Those who supported the Union moved to Kansas for safety. After the war, the U.S. government made a new treaty with the Muscogee, requiring them to free enslaved people and treat them as equal members of the tribe. This caused disagreement among the Muscogee.

Today

Today, many Muscogee people live in Oklahoma, where the Muscogee Nation is located. There is also a small group living near Atmore, Alabama, at the Poarch Creek Reservation. The Muscogee Nation has over 100,000 members and holds events like powwows. Their stories and culture continue to be important.

Culture

Muscogee culture has changed a lot over time, mixing with European-American ways. But it was also shaped by interactions with Spain, France, and England. They quickly adopted new ideas, creating a written language, changing to new farming methods, and welcoming people from different backgrounds into their communities. Today, Muscogee people keep traditions alive through festivals, games, and language classes. Important rituals like the Stomp Dance and Green Corn Ceremony are still celebrated.

Clans

In Muscogee society, clans are groups of people who share the same ancestors. A person belongs to the clan of their mother, and inheritance and leadership pass through the mother's side. The mother's brother plays a big role in guiding children, especially boys. Even though clan members aren't blood relatives, they treat each other like family, using terms like "brother" and "sister."

Clothing

Long ago, Muscogee people made clothes from plants or animal skins. In summer, they wore light fabrics from tree bark or grasses. In winter, they used animal hides for warmth. Later, they began using European materials like cloth, which was lighter and more colorful. They added decorations like bells, ribbons, beads, and mirrors to their clothing.

Language

The Muscogee language belongs to the Muskogean family and was well known to early frontiersmen. It is related to the Choctaw language, with some words sounding the same.

Treaties

Land was very important to the Muscogee people, who cared for it together as a group. Over time, the United States government and settlers took much of their land through agreements called treaties, laws, and sometimes fighting. Some treaties, like the Treaty of San Lorenzo, also affected the Muscogee even if they were not directly part of them. The treaties included:

Indian Appropriations Act of 1871

In 1871, the U.S. Congress passed a law that said the government could no longer make new agreements with any tribes or nations inside the United States. However, this law did not change the meaning of any treaties that had already been made and approved with the Muscogee or other tribes.

Population history

Early guesses about how many Muscogee people lived long ago only counted some of them, not everyone. One person thought there were about 50,000 Muscogee in 1794. Another wrote that they lived in at least 100 towns and villages in 1789. A count in 1832 found 22,700 Muscogee and 900 enslaved people.

Later, many Muscogee were moved to Oklahoma. In 1836, about 17,894 had already moved, with around 4,000 still living east of the Mississippi. By 1841, about 24,549 Muscogee were in Oklahoma, and only 744 were still east of the Mississippi. The numbers went down over time, but later grew again. In 2018, there were about 107,370 people with Muscogee ancestry, with many living in Oklahoma.

Muscogee tribes today

The Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana are a tribe of Muscogee people, descended from the Koasati, as are the Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas.

Federally recognized tribes in Oklahoma

The Muscogee (Creek) Nation is a federally recognized Indian Nation. Their headquarters is in Okmulgee, Oklahoma.

Three Muscogee tribal towns are federally recognized tribes: Alabama-Quassarte, Kialegee, and Thlopthlocco. Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town is headquartered in Wetumka, Oklahoma. Kialegee Tribal Town is headquartered in Wetumka. The Thlopthlocco Tribal Town is headquartered in Okemah, Oklahoma.

Federally recognized tribes in Alabama

The Poarch Band of Creek Indians worked hard to gain recognition from the United States government. On August 11, 1984, they were officially recognized as an "Indian Tribe". The tribe is the only federally recognized tribe in the state of Alabama.

On November 21, 1984, the US government set aside land for the tribe to use together. On April 12, 1985, more land was declared a reservation.

For more information:

The United States Supreme Court made an important decision for McGirt v. Oklahoma on July 9, 2020. The Court recognized a large part of eastern Oklahoma as part of the state's Muscogee (Creek) Nation reservation. This ruling also opened the possibility for Native Americans to have more control over certain activities.

Notable historical Muscogee people

Muscogee people from the 20th and 21st centuries will be listed under their respective tribes.

• William Augustus Bowles (1763–1805), also known as Estajoca, Maryland-born English adventurer and organizer of Muscogee Creek attempts to create a state outside of Euro-American control
• Samuel Benton Callahan (1833–1911), represented the Creek and Seminole nations in the Second Confederate Congress
• Stella Mason (unknown–1918), she was subject to a known lawsuit.
• Alexander McGillivray, Hoboi-Hili-Miko (1750–1793), principal chief of the Upper Creek towns during the American Revolution
• William McIntosh (c. 1775–1825), Muscogee chief prior to removing to Indian Territory led part of the pro-American Muscogee forces against the Red Sticks
• Menawa (c. 1765 – c. 1836) was a principal leader of the Red Sticks during the Creek Wars.
• Mary Musgrove (c. 1700–1765) served as a cultural liaison between colonial Georgia and the Muscogee Creek community.
• Opothleyahola (c. 1798–1863), speaker, Muscogee chief, warrior leader during first two Seminole Wars and the Civil War, treaty signer, American ally
• Tomochichi (1644–1741), Creek chief who mediated with the British who established colonial Georgia, and Senauki, his wife and partial heir
• William Weatherford, also known as Red Eagle (c. 1781 – 1824), leader of the Red Sticks during the Creek Wars