There were many Famous Native Americans that dotted the landscape of the United States. Some were chiefs, some were warriors, and some were regular tribe members who did great things.
There are more than 20, but these 20, I believe, deserve special recognition.
The members range from the Northeast tribes to the Southwest tribes and everything in between.
Some listed saved American colonists, while others fought to push colonists and settlers off their land.
One of the following that is listed reigned over one of the most powerful empires in the New World.
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1. Pocahontas
Pocahontas was born around 1595 in what is now Virginia. She was the daughter of Wahunsenacawh, the paramount chief of the Powhatan Confederacy, and his wife, Matoaka.
Pocahontas was a member of the Powhatan tribe, which was a group of about 30 Algonquian-speaking tribes that lived in what is now Virginia.
Pocahontas was a curious and adventurous child. She often went on long walks in the woods, and she loved to learn about the plants and animals that she found there.
She was also a skilled negotiator, and she often played a key role in resolving disputes between the Powhatan and the English colonists.
She was around 12 years of age when she helped negotiate peace between her tribe and the colonists.
2. Squanto
He is called Squanto, which is short for his real name, Tisquantum.
He is known in American History books as the Native American who helped save the Plymouth Colony from destruction.
He helped them to survive their first winter in the New World. He taught them how to plant cornfish and gather food. He also helped them to negotiate peace with the local Wampanoag tribe.
He also knew the English language since he had been captured by other explorers, taken to England, and then returned. This allowed the Wampanoag tribe to quickly open up communications with the Pilgrims, which allowed them to aid the colonists while also securing an alliance against other tribes.
Unfortunately, shortly after the first Thanksgiving, Squanto died. His death was taken hard by the Pilgrims, especially William Bradford. He wrote this of Squanto's death:
In this place Tisquantum fell sick of Indian fever, bleeding much at the nose (which the Indians take as a symptom of death) and within a few days died there; desiring the Governor to pray for him, that he might go to the Englishmen's God in Heaven; and bequeathed sundry of his things to English friends, as remembrances of his love; of whom they had a great loss.
3. Chief Massasoit
Chief Massasoit was the sachem or leader of the Wampanoag Confederacy. He was a wise and diplomatic leader who forged a peace treaty with the English settlers at Plymouth Colony in 1621. This treaty helped ensure the survival of both the Wampanoag and the Pilgrims in the early years of colonization.
Massasoit was born in what is now Bristol, Rhode Island, around 1581. He was the son of the Wampanoag sachem Ousamequin and his wife Weetamoo. Massasoit became Sachem in 1612, after his father's death.
In 1620, the Mayflower landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts. The Pilgrims were in a desperate situation, and they were not sure how the Wampanoag would react to their arrival. However, Massasoit was willing to meet with the Pilgrims and negotiate a peace treaty.
The treaty was signed on March 22, 1621. It guaranteed that the Wampanoag and the Pilgrims would live in peace and trade with each other. The treaty also helped the Pilgrims survive their first winter in the New World, as Massasoit and his people provided them with food and supplies.
Massasoit remained a loyal friend to the Pilgrims for many years. He helped them to defend themselves against their enemies, and he even intervened to prevent a war between the Pilgrims and the Narragansett tribe.
Massasoit died in 1661. He was succeeded by his son Metacomet, who is better known as King Philip. King Philip's War was the last major conflict between the Native Americans and the English in New England.
4. Joseph Brant
Joseph Brant (Thayendanegea) (1743-1807) was a Mohawk military and political leader based in present-day New York who was closely associated with Great Britain during and after the American Revolution.
Perhaps the best-known Native American of his generation, he met many of the most significant American and British people of the age, including both George Washington and King George III.
Brant was born into the Turtle Clan of the Mohawk Nation. His father was a Mohawk chief, and his mother was a member of the Dutch community.
Brant was educated at Moor's Charity School for Indians in Lebanon, Connecticut, where he learned English, Latin, and Greek. He also converted to Christianity while at Moor's.
After leaving Moor's, Brant returned to his home in the Mohawk Valley. He soon became involved in the political and military affairs of the Iroquois Confederacy. In 1774, he was appointed a war chief by the Mohawk Council.
During the American Revolution, Brant fought on the side of the British. He was a skilled military leader, and he led many successful raids against American settlements. He was also a diplomat, and he played a key role in negotiating treaties between the British and the Iroquois.
After the war, Brant settled in what is now Ontario, Canada. He continued to be a prominent leader of the Iroquois, and he worked to protect their land and rights. He also founded a number of schools and churches for the Iroquois.
5. Pontiac
Chief Pontiac was an Ottawa war chief who led a large-scale uprising against the British in the Great Lakes region in 1763. This conflict, known as Pontiac's War, was a response to British policies that were seen as threatening Native American land and sovereignty.
Pontiac was born in the Great Lakes region, probably around 1720. He was a member of the Odawa tribe, which was part of the larger Algonquian Confederacy. Pontiac was a skilled warrior and diplomat, and he quickly rose to prominence among his people.
In 1763, after the British victory in the French and Indian War, the British government began to implement a series of policies that were seen as threatening to Native American land and sovereignty.
These policies included the Proclamation of 1763, which prohibited settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains, and the Garrisoning Act, which required Native Americans to give up their weapons and allow British troops to be stationed in their villages.
Pontiac was one of many Native American leaders who were angered by these policies. He believed that the British were trying to take away their land and freedom. In the spring of 1763, Pontiac led a large-scale uprising against the British. The uprising was successful in capturing several British forts, including Detroit.
The British were eventually able to suppress the uprising, but Pontiac's War had a significant impact on British-Native American relations.
The war showed the British that they could not simply take Native American land and expect to get away with it. It also showed the Native Americans that they needed to unite if they wanted to resist British expansion...which they would attempt multiple times but never accomplish.
Pontiac was killed in 1769, probably by a Peoria warrior.
6. Tecumseh
Tecumseh was a Shawnee chief and warrior who promoted resistance to the expansion of the United States onto Native American lands.
A persuasive orator, Tecumseh traveled widely, forming a Native American confederacy and promoting intertribal unity. Even though his efforts to unite Native Americans ended with his death in the War of 1812, he became an iconic folk hero in American, Indigenous, and Canadian popular history.
Tecumseh was born in the Ohio Country, near present-day Xenia, Ohio. He was the son of the Shawnee chief Puckeshinwa and Methoataske, a Creek woman.
Tecumseh's father was killed in battle in 1774, and Tecumseh was raised by his mother and his older brother, Tenskwatawa, who would later become known as the Prophet.
Tecumseh grew up during a time of great change for Native Americans. The United States was expanding rapidly, and white settlers were encroaching on Native American lands. Tecumseh believed that the only way to protect Native American land and culture was to unite all of the tribes into a single confederacy.
In 1805, Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa founded Prophetstown, a religious and political center for the confederacy. Tecumseh traveled throughout the Midwest, preaching unity and resistance to white expansion. He was a gifted orator, and he was able to convince many tribes to join the Confederacy.
The War of 1812 gave Tecumseh an opportunity to put his plans into action. He allied the confederacy with the British, and he led Native American forces in several battles. Tecumseh was killed in the Battle of the Thames in 1813.
After his death, his Confederacy fell apart, and the natives never united again.
7. Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse was a Lakota tribe war leader of the Oglala band in the 19th century. He took up arms against the United States federal government to fight against encroachment by white American settlers on Native American territory and to preserve the traditional way of life of the Lakota people.
Crazy Horse was born in the Black Hills of South Dakota, and he was given the name Tasunke Witko, which means "His-Horse-Is-Crazy." He was a brilliant tactician, and he quickly rose to prominence among the Lakota.
Crazy Horse fought in numerous battles between the Lakota and their traditional enemies, the Crow, Shoshone, Pawnee, Blackfeet, and Arikara, among the Plains tribes.
In 1864, after the Third Colorado Cavalry decimated Cheyenne and Arapaho in the Sand Creek Massacre, Oglala and Minneconjou bands allied with them against the U.S. military.
Crazy Horse was present at the Battle of Platte Bridge and the Battle of Red Buttes in July 1865. Because of his fighting ability and his generosity to the tribe, in 1865, Crazy Horse was named an Ogle Tanka Un by the tribe.
Crazy Horse's most famous battle was the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876. In this battle, Crazy Horse led a large force of Lakota and Cheyenne warriors against General George Custer and the 7th Cavalry Regiment.
Custer and his men were all killed in the battle, which is considered one of the most decisive victories for Native Americans in the Indian Wars.
After the Battle of the Little Bighorn, Crazy Horse refused to surrender to the U.S. government. He eventually went into hiding in the Black Hills, where he was eventually captured by the U.S. Army. Crazy Horse was stabbed to death by a soldier at Fort Robinson, Nebraska, on September 5, 1877.
8. Sitting Bull
Sitting Bull was a Hunkpapa Lakota leader who fought against the United States government for the preservation of his people's way of life. He was a powerful orator and a spiritual leader.
As a young man, Sitting Bull became a skilled warrior. He fought in many battles against the Crow, Shoshone, and other Native American tribes.
He was also a gifted orator, and he often spoke out against the U.S. government's treatment of Native Americans.
In 1876, Sitting Bull led a large force of Lakota and Cheyenne warriors to victory at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. This battle was a major defeat for the U.S. Army, and it helped to solidify Sitting Bull's reputation as a great leader.
After the Battle of the Little Bighorn, Sitting Bull and his followers fled to Canada. They were eventually forced to return to the United States, where they were placed on a reservation.
Sitting Bull refused to give up his traditional way of life, and he continued to speak out against the U.S. government.
In the mid-1880s, he traveled with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, where he formed a close relationship with Annie Oakley.
In 1890, Sitting Bull was killed by U.S. soldiers during a scuffle at Standing Rock Reservation. His death was a major blow to the Lakota people, and it marked the end of an era.
9. Geronimo
Geronimo was an Apache warrior who fought against the Mexican and American governments for the preservation of his people's way of life. He was a master of guerrilla warfare.
Geronimo was born in what is now Arizona. He was given the name Goyathlay, which means "One Who Yawns." He was a quiet and thoughtful child, and he showed an early interest in spirituality.
As a young man, Geronimo became a skilled warrior. He fought in many battles against the Mexicans, and he quickly gained a reputation as a fierce and cunning opponent.
In 1858, Geronimo's wife and children were killed by Mexican soldiers. This event had a profound impact on Geronimo, and it led him to become more committed to fighting against the Mexicans.
In 1876, Geronimo and his followers surrendered to the United States Army. However, he soon broke out of captivity and resumed his war against the Americans.
Geronimo was a master of guerrilla warfare. He used hit-and-run tactics to great effect, and he was able to elude the U.S. Army for many years.
In 1886, Geronimo finally surrendered to the U.S. Army. He was taken prisoner and imprisoned in Florida. He was eventually released and allowed to live on a reservation in Arizona.
Geronimo died in 1909.
10. Black Hawk
Black Hawk was a Sauk war chief who fought against the United States government in the Black Hawk War of 1832.
Black Hawk was born in what is now Illinois. He was given the name Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak, which means "Black Sparrow Hawk."
He quickly rose to prominence among the Sauk.
In 1832, Black Hawk led a band of Sauk and Fox warriors into Illinois in an attempt to reclaim their ancestral lands.
The war was a failure, and Black Hawk was eventually captured and imprisoned.
He would become a national figure, and his story helped to raise awareness of the plight of Native Americans in the United States.
Black Hawk was released from prison in 1833, and he lived the rest of his life in Iowa. He died in 1838, and he is buried in Rock Island, Illinois.
11. Osceola
Osceola was a Seminole leader who fought against the United States government in the Second Seminole War.
Osceola was born in what is now Florida. He was given the name Billy Powell, but he later adopted the name Osceola, which means "Black Drink Warrior." He was a skilled warrior and a respected leader, and he quickly rose to prominence among the Seminole.
In 1832, the United States government began to force the Seminoles to leave their homeland in Florida and move to reservations in the West.
Osceola refused to leave, and he led a band of Seminole warriors in a campaign of resistance.
The Second Seminole War lasted for seven years, and it was one of the most costly wars in American history.
Osceola was a brilliant tactician, and he was able to use the Seminole's knowledge of the land to his advantage. He was also a charismatic leader, and he was able to rally the Seminoles to his cause.
In 1837, Osceola was captured by the U.S. Army and imprisoned at Fort Moultrie in South Carolina. He died of malaria shortly after his capture.
12. Red Cloud
Red Cloud was a leader of the Oglala Lakota from 1865 to 1909. He was one of the most capable Native American opponents whom the United States Army faced in the western territories.
He defeated the United States during Red Cloud's War, which was a fight over control of the Powder River Country in northeastern Wyoming and southern Montana.
The largest action of the war was the 1866 Fetterman Fight, with 81 US soldiers killed; it was the worst military defeat suffered by the US Army on the Great Plains until the Battle of the Little Bighorn 10 years later.
Red Cloud was born in what is now South Dakota. He was given the name Mahpiua Luta, which means "Red Cloud."
In 1865, Red Cloud led the Oglala and Cheyenne in a war against the United States Army. The war was fought over control of the Powder River Country, which was a sacred hunting ground for the Lakota.
The war ended in 1868 with the signing of the Treaty of Fort Laramie, which guaranteed the Lakota control of the Powder River Country.
After the war, Red Cloud became a leading advocate for peace between the Lakota and the United States government. He also worked to improve the lives of the Lakota on the reservation.
Red Cloud died in 1909.
13. Metacomet
Metacomet, also known as King Philip, was a Wampanoag sachem who led a large-scale uprising against the English colonists in New England in 1675–76. This conflict, known as King Philip's War, was one of the most costly wars in American history.
Metacomet was born in what is now Massachusetts. He was the son of Massasoit, the leader of the Wampanoag, and Weetamoo, a Narragansett sachem.
Metacomet was a skilled warrior and a respected leader, and he quickly rose to prominence among the Wampanoag.
In 1675, the English colonists began to encroach on Wampanoag land. Metacomet was angered by this, and he led a band of Wampanoag warriors in a series of attacks on English settlements.
The war quickly spread to other Native American tribes, and it became a full-scale conflict.
King Philip's War was a bloody and destructive conflict. Both sides suffered heavy losses, and many villages were burned to the ground.
The war ended in 1676 with the death of Metacomet. He was betrayed by one of his own people and killed by English soldiers.
Metacomet's death marked the end of King Philip's War. However, the war had a profound impact on the Native Americans of New England. Many tribes were decimated, and their way of life was forever changed.
14. William Weatherford
William Weatherford, also known as Red Eagle, was a Creek war chief who led many of the Red Sticks' actions in the Creek War of 1813–14 against Lower Creek towns and against allied forces of the United States.
Weatherford was born in the Creek Nation in what is now Alabama. He was given the name Hoponika Fulsahi (Truth Maker), but he later adopted the name Red Eagle.
In 1813, the Creek Nation was divided into two factions: the Red Sticks and the Lower Creeks. The Red Sticks were a militant faction who opposed the American settlers who were encroaching on Creek land. The Lower Creeks were more willing to negotiate with the Americans.
Weatherford was a leader of the Red Sticks. He led a band of Red Stick warriors in a series of attacks on American settlements.
The most famous of these attacks was the Battle of Fort Mims, in which over 500 American settlers were killed.
The Creek War ended in 1814 with the defeat of the Red Sticks. Weatherford traveled and met Andrew Jackson face-to-face to surrender. Jackson expressed great admiration for him.
He was eventually released, and he lived the rest of his life in Alabama.
15. Sacagawea
Sacagawea was a Lemhi Shoshone woman who served as a guide and interpreter for the Lewis and Clark Expedition from 1804 to 1806.
She was the first Native American woman to travel the entirety of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Sacagawea was born in what is now Idaho. She was the daughter of a Shoshone chief and a Hidatsa woman.
She was captured by the Hidatsa when she was about 12 years old and was traded to the Mandan tribe.
In 1804, the Lewis and Clark Expedition arrived at the Mandan villages. Sacagawea was able to speak both Shoshone and Hidatsa, which made her an invaluable asset to the expedition.
She was able to translate for the expedition and to help them find their way through Shoshone territory.
Sacagawea also helped to keep the expedition alive. She was able to find food and water for the expedition, and she helped to care for the sick. She was also a source of comfort and support for the men on the expedition.
The Lewis and Clark Expedition was a success, and Sacagawea played a vital role in its success.
She was a brave and resourceful woman who helped to pave the way for future exploration of the West.
16. Montezuma
Montezuma II, also known as Motecuhzoma Xocoyotzin, was the ninth tlatoani (ruler) of the Aztec Empire. He reigned from 1502 until his death in 1520 during the Spanish conquest of Mexico.
Montezuma was born in Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec Empire. He was the son of Axayacatl, the eighth tlatoani, and Tezalhuetl.
In 1502, Montezuma became tlatoani after the death of his brother, Huitzilíhuitl. He faced a number of challenges during his reign, including a series of droughts and famines. He also had to deal with the growing threat of the Spanish conquistadors.
Also Read: Famous Spanish Conquistadors
In 1519, the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés landed in Mexico. Montezuma initially welcomed the Spanish, believing that they were gods. However, he soon realized that they were not, and he tried to resist them.
The Spanish eventually captured Montezuma and held him hostage. He died in 1520 from the assassination of the Spanish Conquistadors.
17. Sequoyah
Sequoyah was a Cherokee silversmith, carpenter, and inventor who created the Cherokee syllabary, the first written language for the Cherokee language.
Sequoyah was born in what is now Tennessee. He was orphaned at a young age and was raised by his uncle. He was a skilled silversmith and carpenter, and he also learned to speak English.
In the early 1800s, Sequoyah began to study the written languages of other cultures. He was inspired by the idea of creating a written language for the Cherokee language, which was previously an oral language.
Sequoyah worked on his syllabary for many years. He eventually created a system of 85 characters, each of which represented a syllable in the Cherokee language.
The Cherokee syllabary was first published in 1821. It was quickly adopted by the Cherokee people, and it helped to revolutionize Cherokee culture.
Sequoyah's syllabary made it possible for the Cherokee people to read and write their own language for the first time.
This helped to preserve the Cherokee language and culture, and it also helped to improve the Cherokee people's access to education and government.
Sequoyah died in 1843.
18. Jim Thorpe
Jim Thorpe was a Native American athlete who excelled in multiple sports. He was a two-time Olympic gold medalist in track and field, and he also played professional baseball and football.
Thorpe was born in what is now Oklahoma. He was a member of the Sac and Fox Nation, and he grew up on a reservation. He was a natural athlete, and he excelled in a variety of sports, including football, basketball, baseball, and track and field.
In 1912, Thorpe competed in the Olympic Games in Stockholm, Sweden. He won gold medals in the decathlon and the pentathlon. He was the first Native American to win Olympic gold medals.
After the Olympics, Thorpe played professional baseball and football. He played for the New York Giants and the Boston Braves in baseball, and he played for the Canton Bulldogs and the Oorang Indians in football.
He was accused of accepting money to play professional baseball before the Olympics, and he was stripped of his Olympic medals. However, his medals were later reinstated.
Thorpe died in 1953. He is remembered as one of the greatest athletes of all time.
19. Stand Watie
Stand Watie, also known as Degataga, was a Cherokee leader who served as the second principal chief of the Cherokee Nation from 1862 to 1866. He was the only Native American to be promoted to the rank of brigadier general during the Civil War.
Watie was born in what is now Georgia. He was the son of Uwatie (Cherokee for "the ancient one"), a full-blood Cherokee, and Susanna Reese, daughter of a white father and Cherokee mother.
He was named Degataga. According to one biography, this name means "standing firm" when translated into English. Watie's brothers were Gallagina, nicknamed "Buck" (who later took the name Elias Boudinot), and Thomas Watie.
Watie was educated at the Moravian Mission School in Springplace, Georgia. He later helped an older brother publish the Cherokee Phoenix, a tribal newspaper.
In 1836, the Cherokee were forced to leave their homeland in the Southeast and relocate to Indian Territory (now Oklahoma). Watie was one of the leaders of the Cherokee Nation during this difficult time.
During the Civil War, Watie and his followers sided with the Confederacy. He was a skilled cavalry commander, and he led his troops in a number of successful raids against Union forces.
Also Read: Famous Civil War Generals
In 1864, Watie was promoted to brigadier general. He was the only Native American to be promoted to this rank during the war.
After the war, Watie was one of the leaders of the Cherokee Nation in its efforts to rebuild. He served as the second principal chief of the Cherokee Nation from 1862 to 1866.
Watie died in 1871.
20. Wahunsenaca
Wahunsenacawh, also known as Powhatan, was the paramount chief of the Powhatan Confederacy, a group of Algonquian-speaking Native American tribes in what is now Virginia.
He was a skilled warrior and a respected leader, and he played a major role in the early history of the Virginia Colony.
Wahunsenacawh was born in what is now Virginia around 1547. He was the son of Wahunsonacock, the first paramount chief of the Powhatan Confederacy.
He was given the name Wahunsenacawh, which means "He Wears the Horned Serpent."
Wahunsenacawh became paramount chief in 1571. He was a skilled warrior and a respected leader. He expanded the Powhatan Confederacy to include over 30 tribes, and he made it a powerful force in the region.
In 1607, the English established the Jamestown Colony in Virginia. Wahunsenacawh was initially friendly to the colonists, but he soon became suspicious of their intentions.
He began to attack the colonists, and he captured several of them, including John Smith.
Wahunsenacawh eventually released Smith, but the relationship between the Powhatan and the colonists remained tense.
In 1622, the Powhatan launched a surprise attack on the Jamestown Colony, killing over 300 colonists. This event, known as the Indian Massacre, nearly wiped out the Jamestown Colony.
Wahunsenacawh died in 1618. He was succeeded by his son, Opechancanough.