CHEROKEE INDIAN MEMORIAL

CHEROKEE
INDIAN MEMORIAL
ERECTED IN HONOR OF THE CHEROKEE
NATION BY THE UNITED STATES GOVERN-
MENT IN 1931 ON THE SITE OF NEW ECHOTA,
LAST CAPITAL OF THE CHEROKEE INDIANS
EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
THE CHEROKEE NATION, COMPOSED OF
TWENTY THOUSAND PEOPLE, OCCUPIED
TERRITORY IN ALABAMA, GEORGIA, NORTH
CAROLINA AND TENNESSEE. IT WAS RECOG-
NIZED BY THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED
STATES AS AN INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY,
AND WAS THE ONLY GROUP OF AMERICAN
INDIANS TO ADOPT A REPUBLICAN FORM OF
GOVERNMENT BASED ON A WRITTEN CON-
STITUTION.
JOHN ROSS WAS ELECTED PRINCIPAL
CHIEF. UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF MORAVIAN
MISSIONARIES, THE CHEROKEES BECAME
CHRISTIANIZED, AND ATTAINED A HIGH
DEGREE OF CIVILIZATION.