THE SHAWNEE

and culture of the central Appalachian Shawnee tribe of American Indians. Through a combination of circumstances, this itinerant but highly resilient tribe in the late 18th and early 19th centuries found itself directly in the path of the pressing wave of British/ American settlement of the Northwest Territory. The Shawnee assumed leadership of the defense of Indian society in the struggle that ensued under the leadership of their last great chief, Tecumseh, who was finally slain in battle in 1813. Because of their warrior traditions, competent leadership, spiritual elan and internal cohesion, the Shawnee gave a good account of themselves in this unequal struggle.

The Shawnee or "Southerners" was one of many tribes which inhabited the Eastern Woodlands of North America before the advent of the white man in the 17th century. The origins of

these tribes date back to the eastern and southern expansion of

indians of Mongoloid extraction across the Bering Straits land

bridge in prehistoric times, and after the ice age, more than

three thousand years ago, into the heavily forested regions south of the Great Lakes and on either side of the Appalachian chain. The Shawnee were part of the AlgonquianRitwarKutenas language group (Josephy, 1973, p. 17). Edmunds says that "the early history of the Shawnee . . . is shrouded in uncertainty. Ethnographers disagree over what area

. . .
led government and external relations. The Maykujay were in charge of health and religion and the Piqua and Kispokotha clans provided the warrior class. Considerable political skills were required to hold this loose confederation together. Shawnees were known for their adroit manipulation of shifting tribal alliances. They produced a number of exceptionally able chiefs. Within each clan, the chief had absolute power but interclan relationships were governed by the principle of consensus, which was achieved by means of prolonged Grand Councils or powwows. The guiding principle of Shawnee society was harmony  with nature, within family and tribal structures and in the face of external threats. Justice was swift and often harsh, but in general, "Indian adults sought consciously to avoid antagonizing their associates" (Brandon, 1974, p. 12). The Shawnee were noted for their high sense of personal honor. As Tecumseh's warrior chief father said in 1774, "deceitfulness among ourselves is a crime" (Eckert, 1992, p. 53). As in most hunting cultures, "sharing is a functional necessity for survival" (Brandon, 1974, p. 21). The emphasis was on cooperation and communal use of land and, until the white man came, the Shawnee were not much
. . .

Some common words found in the essay are:
Grand Councils, Traditions Algonquians, Shooting Star, America Eckert, Piqua Kispokotha, Wisconsin Georgia, Territory American, Tippecanoe Indiana, Territory Shawnee, Tecumseh's Prophet, eckert 1992, brandon 1974, shawnee nation, 18th century, late 18th, agriculture shawnee, american settlement, edmunds 1983, shawnee society, history shawnee,
Approximate Word count = 1445
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)

More Essays on THE SHAWNEE