Slavery and Evolution of the Cherokee

ENC3240 A Review of Slavery and Evolution of the Cherokee Society 1540-1866 by Theda Perdue In this well-written book by Theda Perdue, he discloses much of the history of slavery among the Cherokee people and their evolution during this 326 year period. He begins with their abduction by the Spanish. Perdue gives a remarkable comparison of the two very different views of slavery experienced by two very different cultures. He states that even though the Spaniards …

…goods grew. Because of this need, the Cherokee began waging war to supply slaves to the Europeans in return. Thus, corrupting the Cherokee lifestyle. Theda Perdue tells of the destruction of tribal ways due to the embracing of a belief foreign to the Native American way of life. According to Perdue, the U.S. government, after the Civil War, decided that cheating the Cherokee for any reason was justified because of genuine or imagined betrayals.