Shawnee
- For other meanings, see Shawnee (disambiguation).
The Shawnee are a people native to North America, and are therefore considered to be Native Americans. They originally inhabited the area of Ohio and Pennsylvania. In the 17th century, the Iroquois drove them south and west, into areas of southern Illinois and Indiana, the Tennessee river basin, and even as far south as North Carolina. They returned to their original homeland in the 18th century, but in the early 19th century, the U.S. government forcibly relocated the Shawnee to Missouri and Kansas. They were once again relocated to Oklahoma after the American Civil War. There are presently about 14,000 Shawnee, most in Oklahoma, although some are scattered in Alabama.
Villages and places
Though considered a migratory culture, the Shawnee had villages scattered from Illinois to New York and as far south as Georgia. These villages include:
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Language
The Shawnee language is part of the Algonquian family and is closely related to Mesquakie-Sauk (Sac and Fox) and Kickapoo. They are also related to the Lenape.
Famous Shawnee
The Shawnee leader Tecumseh, with his brother Tenskwatawa, attempted to unite the eastern tribes against expansion of white settlement. This alliance was broken up by the Americans, leading to the Shawnee's expulsion to Oklahoma.
Weyapiersenwah, also known as Blue Jacket, was another Shawnee leader, and predecessor to Tecumseh. Weyapiersenwah surrendered to "Mad" Anthony Wayne at the Battle of Fallen Timbers. He was forced to sign the Treaty of Greenville, ceding much of Ohio to the Americans.
Blue Jacket's most prominent predecessor was Cornstalk, who led the Shawnee in Dunmore's War, and attempted to keep the Shawnee neutral in the American Revolutionary War.