Michael Wass

Date of Award

2012

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

Baram, Uzi

Keywords

Seminole, Myakka River, Peace River, Charlotte Harbor, Archaeology, Ethnogenisis

Area of Concentration

Anthropology

Abstract

The Seminole Tribe of Florida, the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, and the Independent Traditional Seminole Nation of Florida are the descendants of the people who were not sent to the Indian Territory along the Gulf Coast route of the Trail of Tears. The origins of the Unconquered Seminoles are contested with popular, scholarly, and indigenous understandings offering differing perspectives. As a result of the confusions created by the colonial encounter in the American Southeast, the historical record has impacted earlier understandings of the origins of the Seminoles. This thesis contributes to uncovering its 19th-century history by focusing on the West-Central Florida landscape, specifically the Myakka River, the Peace River, and Charlotte Harbor. By examining the historic maps of Florida, the historical record, and the archaeological record, this thesis argues for the significance of Southwest Florida for the ethnogenesis of the Seminoles.

Rights

This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.

Download

Share

COinS