ith the European people at the end of the 18th century that involved the implementation of policies such as the "civilization" programs, European commerce and physical removal would destroy the traditional Cherokee kinship system (Prucha 19; Perdue). This paper will discuss the transformation of the values and practices of the kinship systems of the Cherokee Indian tribe from the traditional ways to the more recent status dating from the end of the 19th century. More specifically, the underlying causes for the transformation will be explored.
The changes in the kinship system of the Cherokee Indian Tribe can be traced back to the 18th century with the extensive contact between the Cherokee Indians and the European traders and the government. With the growing deer and slave trade, as well as the warfare with the Europeans, the Cherokee men who were primarily responsible for hunting and warfare were thrust into prominence, thus overturning the traditional matrilineal order. When the Europeans designated certain Cherokee men to be the "leaders" of their tribe, these Cherokee
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