Understanding the Cherokee War

Abstract

The Cherokee Nation launched a war against its former English allies in the fall of 1759, which lasted until the fall of 1761. The complex diplomatic relationship between the English and the Cherokees led to this relatively brief period of conflict. Against the backdrop of the North American Seven Years' War between France and England, Britain's continued exploitation and condescension toward the Cherokees, and its insatiable hunger for Cherokee land led to a great bloodshed of colonists and Cherokees. An examination of the events leading to the dissolution of this once robust alliance reveals the motivations for both British and Cherokees, as well as the cultural misunderstandings that existed between the two. This in turn helps us recognize and understand the near inevitability of the Cherokee War.