Historical Documents

In 1935, a group of Seminoles gathered together and

had a meeting with the Secretary of Interior of the
United States. This request divided the Seminoles
into two groups. One group became known as the
Miccosukee Tribe of Seminole Indians of Florida.
They were located next to the newly created
Everglades National Park. The second group, the
Seminole Tribe of Florida took the offer of the
reservation lands.











We, a group of the Seminole Indians of Florida,
assembled in conference on the one-hundredth anniversary
of the Seminole war, beg you to hear us:
The Seminole Indians have not been at war with the United
States for one hundred years. The Seminole Indians live in
peace and happiness in the Everglades, and have pleasant
relations with the United States government. The Seminole
Indians want a better understanding with the United States
government and want to hear no more about war. We have
learned from our forefathers about the losses of our people
in the Seminole War, and during recent years have
witnessed the coming of the white man into the last
remnant of our homeland. We have seen them drain our
lakes and waterways, cultivate our fields, harvest our
forests, kill our game, and take possession of our hunting
grounds and homes. We have found that it grows more and
more difficult to provide food and clothing for our wives
and children. We request and petition you to use your
influence with Congress and the President of the United
States to obtain for us the following lands and benefits.










Quotes

1. The Seminoles of Florida call
themselves the Unconquered
People. They called themselves
that because they fought in a series
of wars in Florida. About 1,500
American soldiers died. No peace
treaty was ever forced on the
Seminoles and they never
surrendered to the United States
government.

2. The Seminoles were called the
Civilized Tribe because they
adopted to many ways of the white
civilization. For example, they lived
in cabins or houses and they wore
clothes similar to white men. They
often became Christians.



"Let us like good men and wise men, and
like men that love our people, force the
hatchet out of the hands of madmen and
fools.
















This letter was written on Feb. 9, 1774.
Two years before the American
Revolutionary War. It was from British
official John Moultrie, the lieutenant
governor of what was then known as
British East Florida. This letter is
important because the letter was mailed
to the Cowkeeper's home just south of
Gainesville, the area that is considered the
birthplace of the Seminole Tribe of
Florida. The Cowkeeper was known as the
founder of the Seminole Tribe.











Quote
This quote is by General Joseph Hernandez, he
was in charge of the Seminole army at the time of
the second war. This quote is part of a letter that
he wrote to the Florida Governor William Eaton.
He wrote the quote right before the second
Seminole war requesting that a part of the Militia
should be held in readinees to protect the
Inhabitants from any danger.


Much apprehension is already manifested by the
community at large on this subject. And
particularly as there are a large number of
Negroes amongst the Indians, who may be under
the influence of Abolitionists of the North, whose
machinations, are now endangering our safety.