|
Tribal history
1702
 Creek Indians from Georgia and lower Alabama raid Spanish settlements
and Apalachee villages in Florida but they do not settle.
1740
Bands of Creeks establish villages in north Florida.
1763
Spain gives Florida to Britain in the Treaty of Paris.
1765
 Creeks meet with British and agree to give up 2-million acres
in northeast Florida in the Treaty of Picolata. Seminole Chief
Cowkeeper refuses to attend.
1783
Britain cedes control of Florida to Spain.
1813-1814
Andrew Jackson battles faction of Creek Indians, forcing large
migration deeper into Florida.
1817
 Georgia militia attacks Seminole village in Fowltown, starting
the First Seminole War.
1818
Andrew Jackson invades north Florida.
1821
U..S. acquires Florida from Spain.
1823 
Seminoles relinquish 24-million acres and resettle on a reservation
in the middle of Florida in the Treaty of Moultry Creek.
1832
In the Treaty of Paynes Landing, Seminoles are ordered to leave
Florida in three years, surrender land and join Creeks in what
is now Oklahoma.
1835
In the Dade Massacre, Seminole warriors kill Francis Dade and
108 soldiers in Bushnell. Chief Osceola kills U.S. Indian agent
Wiley Thompson. Second Seminole War starts. It lasts seven years.
1837
Osceola captured under flag of truce by Gen. Thomas Jesup. Osceola
dies several months later of malaria.
1838
Seminoles, Cherokee and Choctaws are forced to relocate to Oklahoma.
Thou-sands die on Trail of Tears.
1855
Billy Bowlegs attacks a group of U.S Army surveyors, touching
off Third Seminole War in Florida.
1856
Treaty gives Seminoles 2.1-million acres in Oklahoma.
1858 
Bowlegs accepts peace terms, but several hundred Seminoles split
off and retreat into Everglades. They form the nucleus of today's
Seminole Tribe of Florida.
1934
Federal government lays groundwork for Indian self-determination
by asking Indian tribes to organize tribal governments, adopt
constitutions and form laws.
1957
Seminole Tribe of Florida receives federal recognition. Splinter
group breaks off to become Micosukee Tribe.
1971
Howard Tommie is elected chairman of Seminoles. He introduces
tax-free tobacco shops and comes up with idea of high-stakes bingo.
1979
James Billie is elected chairman. Hollywood bingo opens.
1981
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta upholds tribe's right
to run high-stakes bingo.
1982
Tampa bingo hall opens.
1996 
U.S. Supreme Court says tribe can't sue Florida in a dispute over
the state's refusal to allow other forms of casino gambling the
tribe wants to introduce.
 |
