American Indians have talent in both oratory and statesmanship. American history provides abundant examples of Indians’ adroit political maneuvering with the whites. Less well known are the maneuvers that took place within individual tribes. The Cherokee Indians are celebrated for their political and social achievements. But the fact that the Cherokee concept of nationalism was formulated long before the nineteenth century has been overlooked. From 1740 until 1762 the Cherokees lived in the area of present-day North Carolina; South Carolina; Georgia; and Virginia; and they were a homogeneous people; albeit struggling in the face of opposition within and without. During this critical period the traditional nationalist forces in the nation had to contend with many brands of factionalism. The traditional leadership; stemming from Overhill Chota; came into conflict with the English puppet leadership at Overhill Great Tellico; and French-English rivalry split the nation into two forces. One; led by Old Hop; the first Beloved Man of the nation; advocated neutrality. The other; led by Attakullaculla; favored the English alliance. After a cruel war with the English; in which two royal expeditionary forces laid waste the Cherokee country; Attakullaculla was able to bring about a peace. This realistic picture of Indian intrigue reveals the influence of intratribal conflict on colonial history—demonstrating that the Cherokees’ own problems were more significant than European pressure in shaping events. The story of Cherokee statesmanship in terms of Indian institutions provides fresh insight into this era of colonial and American Indian history.
#1413886 in Books University of Oklahoma Press 2007-04-15Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x 1.10 x 6.00l; 1.57 #File Name: 0806138084368 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. An Authentic DairyBy william gillwayMr. Scherneckau spelled it out plain and simple. An amazing first hand account of the sometime dull of life of being a soldier in the Western theater of the Civil War. Good reference of immigrant soldiers of the west.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Was a Father's Day giftBy JerBearHI got this book for my dad for Father's Day. He has started reading it and says it is REALLY good. I can write another review when he finishes it and tells me more of the specifics he likes about it.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. A Diary from the Trans-MississippiBy John MatlockA well written diary from the Trans-Mississippi theater of operations. This is one of the few Civil War diaries from that area. It is written by a recent German immigrant to Nebraska and covers the period of his three year enlistment; 1862 - 1865. The story covers relatively little actual fighting. When Mr. Scherneckau was wounded (in the leg) it is because he was accidentally shot by one of his fellow soldiers. Instead it covers life in the Army consisting mostly of futile marches; guard duty; converting from an infantry unit to cavalry; putting up with Army life; almost as though the country was at peace.Mr. Scherneckau originally wrote the diary in German; his native tongue. It is clear that he was a well educated man; but little is known of his background and education.The diary has been translated and brought up to date with modern English style and wording as well as ancillary materials such as newspaper accounts of the time. This makes it a lot easier to read than the approach taken by other editor/translators.
