"Five Civilized Tribes" Medals?

(I am from Oklahoma, and it was a required course in Jr. High.)

Chickasaw, Choctaw, Cherokee, Creek, Seminole. Tribes relocated to the Oklahoma territories so whites could take over their lands. Part of the great land-grab activities in the late 1800's.

They were called the "civilized" tribes because several of them had the trappings of civilization like writing from an alphabet they had developed, but mostly it was propaganda to show off rather docile tribes in a favorable manner to convince the whites that Indian relocation to reservations was a good thing. The 5 tribes, more or less, accepted the relocation, but the story of the Seminole "trail of tears" is rather pathetic (they were marched from Florida to Oklahoma, and many died - not unlike the Bataan "Death March" of WWII.)

They were eventually crowed out of Oklahoma, and their land given to the whites (most of it - see "Sooners and Boomers.)

A rather sad part of the American legacy, I offer. (No, I am not an "indian"!)

Here are some references...

Prucha, Francis Paul: Indian Peace Medals in American History, Madison: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1971; Lincoln; University of Nebraska Press, 1971.

Silver medals as tokens of friendship, presented to indian chiefs, were important in American Indian Policy. This volume gives the history of each medal and a picture, if available. Those presented to the Chickasaws are included.

The Official Site of the Chickasaw Nation | Heritage & Culture ... Much on the Five Civilized Tribes. Some references to the Chickasaw but more on the .... Prucha, Francis Paul: Indian Peace Medals in American History, ...

www.chickasaw.net/site06/heritage/250_1021.htm

The medals you have are refered to as Indian Peace Medals...

Ron.

Read this Harper's Magazine article. It may be the coins you are asking about. Medals were given to tribe members during a visit to the White House around 1861.