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#1. Chickasaw Tribe Lived In Northeast Mississippi
The Chickasaw Tribe was a Southeast Indian Tribe and would be considered a tribe that was part of the Mississippian Culture. This particular culture lived on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers and was known due to their mound building.
The Mississippian Indians were some of the oldest tribes in existence and even home to some of the largest cities in North America. The exception is, of course, the Aztec Empire who had much more developed cities and government.
The Chickasaw are believed to arrive from the west to where they were located when the Spanish Conquistadors arrived.
#2. Hernando De Soto Was Driven Away By The Chickasaw Warriors
Arguably, one of the most successful explorers was Hernando De Soto, who explored much of the Southern United States and the Mississippi Valley.
De Soto was an accomplished commander who had defeated many Native Americans. However, when the Chickasaw attacked the conquistador at night, he was forced to flee and move on from the tribe.
This secured the Chickasaw as mighty warriors in the eyes of the Spanish.
#3. The Chickasaw Harassed The Choctaw Tribe
The Chickasaw began to establish trading relationships with English colonists in the Province of Carolina after that colony was established in 1670.
After acquiring firearms from colonial merchants in Carolina, Chickasaw raiders began to attack settlements belonging to a rival tribe, the Choctaw, in order to acquire captives, which they sold to the colonists.
These raids largely subsided after the Choctaw acquired firearms of their own from the French.
Allied with British colonists in the Southern Colonies, the Chickasaw were often at war with the French and the Choctaw in the 18th century, such as in the Battle of Ackia on May 26, 1736.
Skirmishes continued until France ceded its claims to the region east of the Mississippi River after being defeated by the British in the French and Indian War.
#4. They Were Loyal To The Americans
The Chickasaw tribe was one of the most loyal Native American Tribes in American History. They were loyal to the Americans during the American Revolution and, after the war, continued to be loyal to them.
They would aid General Anthony Wayne when he fought many Shawnee at the Battle of Fallen Timbers, which is often considered the last battle of the Revolutionary War, although the treaty was signed years prior.
They remained allies, although they eventually were removed to Oklahoma, where they wrote their own Constitution and became one of the Five Civilized Tribes in America.
This had been an idea by George Washington and continued with Thomas Jefferson, who viewed the natives as equals but wanted to convert them to their ways of society and to Christianity.
#5. The Chickasaw Fought With The Confederacy During The Civil War
After decades of resentment towards the United States, the Chickasaw tribe would fight under the Confederacy during the Civil War.
Their political motivations were different from the Confederate States. They had grown tired of broken promises. They had become civilized and educated in American ways but had been removed from their lands despite their loyalty to the United States through the years and the lack of protection from Plains Indian Tribes that was promised to them.
After their defeat in the Civil War, they were forced to negotiate a treaty with the United States. They were forced to free their slaves, but the Chickasaw did not give the newly freed blacks any rights. They were then penalized, lost more of their land, and took more than half of a century with no compensation.