There are five civilized tribes: the Chickasaw, the Creek, the Cherokee, the Choctaw and the Seminole. The Cherokees, along with other tribes, were forced from their native lands in Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee. This removal occurred from the early 1800s to the late 1800s. This removal placed them in Indian Territory, the area that is today Oklahoma. The Cherokees were moved to the northeastern part of present-day Oklahoma. Their capital was Park Hill, near what is now Tahlequah. The man known as Sequoyah and his mother, Wuh-Teh, were among thousands of Cherokees who were forced to leave their country. These tribes had a rich and colorful history. This story was transmitted mainly orally, because there was no written language. Sequoyah changed that for the Cherokee people. He single-handedly provided a means to make the Cherokee a literate people. For this reason, Sequoyah was one of the most influential Native Americans in history. Sequoyah was born around 1776 in Tuskegee, Tennessee. His English name was George Guess. From the start, his life was a bit scandalous. He lived with his mother in a house that only spoke Cherokee. Its name is said to be a form of the Cherokee word for pig. This Cherokee word is Sikwa. This may be a reference to the limp and cane seen in Sequoyah photos. Family ties are very important for natives. His mother's side of the family was considered a strong line and he was proud of it. Wut-teh, Sequoyah's mother, had a sibling, John Watts or Young Tassel, and they were the niece of Old Tassel and Doublehead. Sequoyah's father was a German immigrant and peddler, also named George. His father wasn't there in the middle of the paper...the bands of Cherokees who had gone to Mexico in wartime. He and his son participated in this expedition. It was around this time that Sequoyah died. His grave is marked near Eagle Pass, Texas. Sequoyah was a great visionary and a great Native American. He gave his people a gift that will continue to be given forever. “The Sequoyah syllabary and a chronology complete the set.” (Bash, Margaret A.) He lived a life full of hardship and fought against the illiteracy of his people. He is truly one of the Native American men in history who is remarkable and worthy of note. Work CitedBash, Margaret A. "Sequoyah the Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing." Horn 2004: n. page. Print.Conley, Robert J. Sequoyah. New York: Martin's, 2002. Print. Oppenheim, Joanne. Sequoyah. NJ: Troll Associates, 1979. Print.Spider. Gilbertson, James, 2012. web. November 8. 2013