The Southeast Indian Tribes are Native Americans who have traditionally inhabited the area and are now part of the Southeastern United States and the northeastern border of Mexico, which share common cultural traits.
This classification is a part of the Eastern Woodlands. The boundaries of the region are defined more by shared cultural traits than by geographic distinctions.
Because the cultures gradually, instead of abruptly shifting into Plains, Prairie, or Northeastern Indian tribes, folks disagree on the exact limits of the Southeastern Woodland culture region.
The Southeastern Indian Tribes were linguistically diverse, but the most popular languages of the region were the following:
- Caddoan
- Muskogean
Here is a list of Southeast Indian Tribes:
Adai -The Adai Tribe was a tribe that was part of the Caddo Confederacy. The first mention of them was in the writings of Cabeza de Vaca, who came into contact with them in 1529.
Alabama - A peaceful tribe that was once a part of the Creek Confederacy. They would eventually relocate to Texas, where they supported Texan independence. They were granted land by Sam Houston and still reside on the land today.
Apalachee - A dense tribe at the time of the Spanish Conquest. The tribe was known for their fierce warriors who defeated two Conquistadors (Narvaez and de Soto) at the height of Spanish power.
Atakapa - A tribe located near the Gulf of Mexico. The famous explorers and Spanish Conquistadors from Europe adopted the pronunciation of their name from the nearby Choctaw tribe. They were numerous, and their formation was somewhat different from other Native Americans.
Avoyel - A small tribe that lived near present-day Louisiana and was known for their active trading of flint for tools. The first Europeans to make contact with them were the French when famous explorer Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville mentioned them in his writings.
Bidai - A small Atakapa-speaking tribe that would be devastated by disease and lose much of their population. They would eventually merge with other Atakapa-speaking tribes.
Biloxi - They lived near the coast of the Gulf of Mexico in the now-state Mississippi. Eventually, they were forced west into Louisiana and Texas. The only Siouan-speaking tribe in the southeast.
Caddo -Inhabited parts of East Texas, Louisiana, southern Arkansas, and Oklahoma. The tribe is able to date themselves back to one of the earliest Native American cultures in North America, which is known as the Caddoan Mississippian culture. During their early existence, they were mound builders like most of the natives in North America.
Calusa - One of the more powerful tribes in Florida. They are known for their defeat of Ponce de Leon and the marriage of a chief's daughter to Aviles. They were able to push back the Spanish for many years until disease decimated their population.
Catawba - They lived in South Carolina and managed to survive the disease, Indian removal, and American wars through some shrewd negotiations. They were one of the tribes that supported the Americans during the American Revolution. They still survive today in South Carolina and are the only tribe still remaining in the state.
Cheraw - Little is known of this tribe. By the time of European discovery, they had a small population and moved around South Carolina. They would eventually merge with the Catawba tribe.
Cherokee - The most infamous tribe in American History that became famous for becoming civilized and then having to endure the Trail of Tears. They would move to Oklahoma, although one clan would remain in North Carolina.
Chickasaw - A loyal tribe to America through the early years. They were located in Northeast Mississippi and fought with the Americans at the Battle of Fallen Timbers. They would side with the Confederacy during the Civil War.
Chitimacha - A large tribe located in the Mississippi River Delta for centuries until European Contact. They would be devastated by disease and a war with the French. The tribe would rebound in their population in the 20th century, and they still reside in Louisiana.
Choctaw - A tribe that supported many American causes and became one of the Five Civilized Tribes. President Andrew Jackson would sign the Indian Removal Act that would push off their land despite their service to America. The tribe would be relocated to Oklahoma.
Coushatta - A tribe located in present-day Tennessee that was removed west of the Mississippi. They often intermarried with the Alabama Tribe and were part of the Creek Confederacy.
Creek - A tribe known for its fierce warriors and resistance to American expansion. They would be defeated at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, Creek Wars, and Seminole Wars prior to their removal.
Houma - Tribe located in Southern Louisiana that still exists today. They survived American expansion and avoided taking part in wars that would destroy their population. They speak
Miccosukee - Often considered to be part of the Seminole tribe, but they were an independent tribe that fought in the Seminole Wars against the Americans. They now reside in southern Florida on their reservation.
Natchez - A tribe that survived through much of the European Colonization but eventually faded due to disease and war with the French. The tribe had 4 conflicts with the French. Each conflict reduced their population. They would merge into the various other Southeast tribes.
Ofo - The Ofo tribe was a Siouan-speaking Southeast Indian Tribe that lived in the upper Ohio River region. They would move south to the lower region of the Mississippi River during the expansion of the Iroquois Confederacy.
Saponi - The Saponi tribe lived in the areas of Virginia and North Carolina. They were a smaller tribe that tended to move around to avoid conflict with larger tribes. They did not have issues with marrying outside of their tribe and were even rumored to have ties to the lost colony of Roanoke.
Seminole - The Seminole Tribe was a prominent tribe in Florida and one that saw much conflict with the United States during its infancy. There were three Seminole Wars, with the second being the bloodiest. Now, the Seminole Tribe in Florida runs a lucrative gambling business and is thriving.
Taensa - The Taensa tribe was a small tribe that existed in the lower Mississippi Valley. They were similar to the Natchez tribe in their culture. Unfortunately, the tribe faded within three generations of the first European contact due to disease, war, and slavery.
Timucua - One of the largest and most populous tribes in Florida at the time of European discovery. They inhabited a large portion of northern Florida as well as a small portion of southeast Georgia. They also had 35 separate chiefdoms that were scattered throughout the territory.
Tunica - A tribe of the Mississippi River Valley that would be devastated by disease and eventually merge with the Biloxi tribe. The tribe is now known as the Tunica-Biloxi Nation and is recognized in the state of Louisiana.
Tutelo - A small tribe that lived in Northern Virginia. They were enemies of the Iroquois during the Beaver Wars but would end up being absorbed by the Cayuga after the Revolutionary War.
Tuscarora - They began as a southeast tribe and would eventually end up as a northeast tribe. They left North Carolina after a bloody conflict and moved to New York, where they would join the Iroquois Confederacy.
Waccamaw - A small tribe located in the Carolinas. They were decimated by disease, enslaved, and fell victim to various Indian Wars. Their population declined sharply during the Colonial American era.