What Landforms Did the Chickasaw Indians Live Near?
- The Eastern Woodlands region was considerably wetter and colder during prehistoric times; it then provided a lush environment of evergreen forests which primarily consisted of spruce and fir. As the climate gradually changed, becoming warmer and more consistent with the weather patterns we experience today, Mississippi and its surrounding regions then boasted grasslands, fertile soils, navigable water-ways, warm weather and abundant wildlife.
- The Chickasaw had ample prey to choose from which freely roamed the grasslands.Thinkstock/Comstock/Getty Images
The inhabitants of the Eastern Woodlands predominantly included the Chickasaw; their population was only second to the Choctaw. These tribes were nomadic, moving with the migration of their food source, primarily hunting mastodon and bison. With the warming climate, these cultures grew more sedentary, establishing settlements across vast areas of the areas now known as Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky. - Oklahoma is the present-day home of the Chickasaw Nation.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
Today the Chickasaw have designated a new homeland in south-central Oklahoma. This occurred because of the sheer force of European Settlers who established the "Great Removal" act in the early 1800s. This act forced all Native Americans to relocate to Indian-designated territories. Prior to establishing a home base in Oklahoma, they were first forced to lease land from the Choctaw Indians who were one of the first tribes to abide by the act. The modern-day lifestyle of the Chickasaw is far removed from that of its origin. They maintain no ties or rights to the vast lands they once occupied. As fearless warriors, deemed "unconquerable" by historians, the Chickasaw people hold fast to the pride of their heritage and maintain many of the deep-rooted value systems revered by their ancestors. - The city of Chickasaw was once utilized by many tribes as a crossroads during migration. The creek that ran through the area was referred to as Chickasha Bogue by the Chickasaw. As the name stuck, it was later changed to Chickasaw, although the tribe had no formal settlements within the area. It was actually the Apalachee Indians that first settled and predominantly occupied the area of present-day Chickasaw, Alabama.
- Although they were known as fierce warriors, the Chicasaw people existed harmoniously with nature.Dick Luria/Photodisc/Getty Images
The landforms formerly known to the Chickasaw have changed dramatically. They've changed in terms of geology, climate change and in the development of the land. Fortunately, the archeological sites that dot the present-day states of Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama and Kentucky preserve the Chickasaw's ancestral heritage. Artifacts from the Chickasaw people reveal a highly civilized and passionate culture that existed harmoniously with nature.
