Native Americans as Slaveholders — Reading Comprehension

The history of slavery in the United States is often linked with the experiences of African Americans and European colonists, but some Native American nations also participated in the system of slavery. Between the 1700s and the Civil War, several tribes—especially in the Southeast, such as the Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Seminole—owned enslaved people of African descent. This involvement in slavery creates a complex legacy that historians continue to study and debate.

One major reason some Native American nations became slaveholders was pressure from the expanding United States. As European Americans settled new lands, they encouraged Native nations to adopt European customs, including private land ownership and farming using enslaved labor. The U.S. government believed that “assimilation” into white society would protect Native lands. However, this was a false promise. In reality, Native nations faced threats to their sovereignty and territory no matter what choices they made.

For many tribal leaders, owning enslaved people was seen as a way to survive. By adopting certain American institutions, such as plantation agriculture, some hoped to prove that Native nations were “civilized” and deserved to keep their lands. John Ross, a Cherokee leader, stated in 1836, “If we are to be judged by the practice of the whites, then we have only followed their example.” This quote reveals both the pressure to conform and the contradictions in these decisions.

However, not all Native Americans agreed with slavery. Within tribes, there were deep divisions. Some members opposed the practice and argued it went against their traditional values of kinship and respect. Others were influenced by economic opportunities and the desire for political power. These conflicting perspectives created tension and sometimes violence within tribes. Enslaved people themselves resisted through escape, protest, and forming their own communities, such as the Black Seminoles in Florida.

The consequences of Native American slaveholding were significant. During the Civil War, most of the “Five Tribes” sided with the Confederacy, hoping to protect their sovereignty. After the war, the U.S. government forced these tribes to sign new treaties. They had to free enslaved people and grant them tribal citizenship, leading to long-lasting disputes over rights and identity. The legacy of this history still affects debates about tribal membership and the descendants of enslaved people, known as Freedmen, today.

Historians now use evidence from treaties, oral histories, and government records to understand this complicated past. By examining multiple viewpoints and sources, we can see that Native American involvement in slavery was not simply a matter of choice. It resulted from a combination of outside pressure, survival strategies, and internal conflicts. 

Interesting Fact: In 1866, the Cherokee Nation’s treaty with the United States formally abolished slavery and promised tribal citizenship to Freedmen, though the debate over their descendants’ rights continues today.

Which tribes were known as the Five Tribes?

When did the Cherokee abolish slavery?

Which war influenced new treaties with tribes?

Why did some tribes adopt slavery?

What did John Ross's 1836 quote show?

What was one effect of new treaties after 1866?

Native Americans never owned enslaved people. True or false?

What does 'sovereignty' mean?