The Seminoles"Just as the United States is a nation made up of people from many nations, the Seminoles are a tribe made up of Indians from many tribes." (Garbarino 13) The Seminoles are the indigenous people living in southeastern America. They lived in what is now Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Mississippi. The Seminoles had a Muskogean language of Hokan-Siouan stock. (Library) Indian tribes found in the Southeast were the Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee, Yuchi, Yamassee, Apalachicola, Timucua, and Calusa. The southeastern Indians were described by the Spanish as tall with olive to brownish complexions. Indians from mountainous regions were described as having a lighter complexion and those from sunnier regions as brown. (Garbarino 13) The Seminoles were originally part of the Creek, but they began migrating from southern Georgia to northern Florida in the second half of the 18th century. The Seminoles fled there because Spain owned Florida and they hoped to be free. They shared the land with another group of Indians, the Apalachee and Timucua, who spoke the Mikasuki language. (Seminole Indians290) Around 1775 or so, they began to be known as the Seminole, which is derived from the Creek word simanoli, meaning "separatist" or "fugitive." The name, Seminole, could also come from Spanish. cimarron word, meaning “wild”. The migrants were also joined by Indian and black slaves, who were fleeing power struggles between Americans and Indians. (Seminole 626) The Indians who moved to Florida all had similar lifestyles. After their migration, they retained many of the qualities of their original culture. Their natural environment affected every aspect of their culture and life. The environment determined the food they ate, the clothes they could wear, the houses they could build, and how to live in them. The environment even influenced language and rituals. Because of this involvement with nature, they revered all of nature. (Garbarino 13) The landscape in which the Seminoles lived was composed of fertile valleys, thick woods, and low mountains. The largest and most powerful tribes occupied the sought-after places, the fertile valleys. The small tribes settled in the woods and mountains......middle of paper......west of the Mississippi. Only a few remained in the Everglades, and those who remained moved deeper into the Everglades. After that, they were left alone. (Garbarino 54-55)Today, many Seminoles live on small farms in Oklahoma. They were part of the Five Civilized Tribes which include the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Creek, and Choctaw. The Seminoles who remained in Florida lived from hunting, fishing, agriculture, livestock and tourism. (Seminole Indians 291) "For more than 200 years, the Seminoles have survived as a tribe by adapting to change without completely abandoning their traditional ways. Preserving their customs has helped the Seminoles maintain a strong sense of identity as a distinct and proud people."" (Garbarino 102) Works Cited Garbarino, Merwyn S. The Seminole New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1989. Lepthien, Emilie U. The Seminole Chicago: Childrens Press, 1985. Seminole. " Encyclopedia Britannica 1993 ed. "Seminole." Microsoft Bookshelf. 1994 ed. "Seminole Indians." The World Book Encyclopedia 1992. "Seminole Wars ed...