European epidemics introduced into the southeastern United States in 1540 by the Desoto expedition are estimated to have killed at least 75% of the original native population.

How much the Cherokee suffered from this disaster in unknown, but their population in 1674 was about 50,000.

A series of smallpox epidemics (1729, 1738, and 1753) cut this in half,
and it remained fairly stable at about 25,000 until their removal to Oklahoma during the 1830s.

The American Civil War was the next disaster and cost the Cherokee 25% of their population.

No other group of Americans, red or white, suffered as severely during this conflict.

The 1990 census listed 308,132 persons (15,000 full-blood) who identified themselves as Cherokee.

Of these, 95,435 were concentrated in eastern Oklahoma while 10,114 eastern Cherokee lived on or near the North Carolina reservation.

Cherokee tribal governments have fairly liberal membership standards, and some estimates exceed 370,000,
which would make the Cherokee the largest Native American group in the United States.

In their own language the Cherokee originally called themselves the Aniyunwiya (or Anniyaya) "principal people" or the Keetoowah (or Anikituaghi, Anikituhwagi) "people of Kituhwa."

Although they usually accept being called Cherokee, many prefer Tsalagi from their own name for the Cherokee Nation (Tsalagihi Ayili).

Other names applied to the Cherokee have been:
Allegheny (or Allegewi, Talligewi) (Delaware),
Baniatho (Arapaho), Caáxi (or Cayaki) (Osage and Kansa),
Chalaque (Spanish), Chilukki (dog people)
(Choctaw and Chickasaw),
Entarironnen (mountain people) (Huron),
Gatohuá (Creek), Kittuwa (or Katowá) (Algonquin),
Matera (or Manteran) (coming out of the ground)
( Catawba), Nation du Chien (French), Ochietarironnon (Wyandot),
Oyatageronon (or Oyaudah, Uwatayoronon) (cave people) (Iroquois),
Shanaki (Caddo), Shannakiak (Fox), Tcaike (Tonkawa), and Tcerokieco (Wichita).

Lower, Middle, and Over-the-Hill.

Other distinct bands were:

Atali, Chickamauga, Etali, Onnontiogg, and Qualia.

Three Cherokee groups are currently federally recognized:

Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians (Oklahoma), and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (North Carolina). The Echota Cherokee are recognized only by the state of Alabama.

Some Delaware traditions also support this, but the Iroquois have no memories of such a conflict.

While there is probably some historical basis, it is difficult to imagine a tribe as large and powerful as the Cherokee being forced to move anywhere, although they may have lost some territory in the north to the Susquehannock, Erie, or Delaware.

Considering their language differences with other Iroquian groups, the Cherokee probably have been a distinct group for a considerable period.

It seems more reasonable to assume that the Cherokee had occupied their mountain homeland for a long time before the arrival of the Europeans.

At the time of contact, the Cherokee were a settled, agricultural people living in approximately 200 fairly, large villages.

The typical Cherokee town consisted of 30 to 60 houses and a large council house.

Homes were usually wattle and daub, a circular framework interwoven with branches (like an upside-down basket) and plastered with mud.

The entire structure was partially sunken into ground.

In later periods, log cabins (one door with smokehole in the bark-covered roof) became the general rule.

The large council houses were frequently located on mounds from the earlier Mississippian culture, although the Cherokee themselves did not build mounds during the historic period.

Used for councils, general meetings, and religious ceremonies,
the council houses were also the site of the sacred fire,
which the Cherokee had kept burning from time immemorial.

Like other Iroquian peoples, kinship and membership in seven matrilineal clans were determined through the mother,
although the women's role never achieved the importance that it enjoyed among the Iroquois League in New York.

In most ways, the Cherokee more closely resembled the Creek and other southeastern tribes,
including the celebration of the Busk, or Green Corn festival.

Agriculture relied heavily on the "three sisters" (corn, beans, and squash),
supplemented by hunting and the gathering of wild plants.

Cherokee villages were largely independent in daily matters,
with the whole tribe only coming together for ceremonies or times of war.

Leadership was divided according the circumstances: "red" chiefs during war and "white" chiefs in times of peace.

The Cherokee were the only Iroquian-speaking member of the five Civilized Tribes of the southeast United States.

Although it is difficult to ascertain what privilege in treatment they received for being classified as "civilized",
their achievements were remarkable and accomplished almost entirely through their own efforts.

During the early 1800s, the Cherokee adopted their government to a written constitution.

They established their own courts and schools, and achieved a standard of living that was the envy of their white neighbors.

Particularily noteworthy was the invention of written language by Sequoyah (George Gist) in 1821.

Utilizing an ingenious alphabet of 86 characters, almost the entire Cherokee Nation became literate within a few years.

A Cherokee newspaper, the Phoenix, began publication in the native language in February, 1828.

Prominent Cherokees are too numerous to list but include Senator Robert Owen and Will Rogers.