NC Indians Cover Page
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North Carolina's Prehistory
American Indians had been living in North Carolina for at least 9,500 years before European explorers first encountered them in the 1520s. Archaeological records and oral and cultural traditions contain clues about these early people. | Full Story

State-Recognized Tribes
North Carolina's history - the time period for which we have written records - began with the arrival of European explorers. The term Contact Period refers to the time when these explorers first encountered native inhabitants. During this time, Indian populations decreased dramatically because of disease, warfare, and forced relocation. Through the years, Indian cultures changed rapidly, and some were all but wiped out. Many groups suffered discrimination as they struggled to preserve their cultural identity. Today, North Carolina¹s Indians are reviving their languages and traditions. | Full Story

American Indian Education
Traditionally, American Indians taught their children informally. Children learned through example, stories, exploration, and observation. Adults taught them they had a purpose within their communities - their family, tribe, and nationóand that each person's knowledge contributes to the knowledge of the entire community. Community elders and grandparents were often most responsible for educating children. | Full Story

American Indian Government
When European explorers arrived in what is now North Carolina, American Indians already had long-established ways of organizing and governing their communities. Colonization forced most tribes to give up their lands and abandon their ways of life. Since the 1800s, many tribes have reunited and recovered their heritage. They have fought—and are still fighting—for respect, recognition, and the right to govern themselves. Today our state recognizes seven American Indian tribes. | Full Story

Trail of Tears
In September 1838, a new phase of Congress’s ongoing effort to remove American Indians from their ancestral lands in the East began. In response to the Indian Removal Act, passed in 1830, more than 15,000 Cherokee Indians were forced from their homes in North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee by the United States Army, beginning in May 1838. After being held in removal forts and then internment camps under poor conditions during the summer, many Cherokee began a forced march to what is now Oklahoma in September. | Full Story

American Indian Art
American Indians in North Carolina have been creating art—from music to wood carvings to poetry—for thousands of years. Indian baskets, pottery, and other objects that we prize for their beauty and artistry were once made for everyday use. Other works of art were created for religious ceremonies or as a means of personal expression. Today many Indians create art using traditional methods passed down from their ancestors. | Full Story

American Indian Languages
Early European explorers in North Carolina were surprised by the number of native languages. Few people, though, bothered to write down these languages. During the Contact period, many languages were lost as Indian populations decreased and tribes broke apart. More were lost in the 1800s and early 1900s because the government didn’t allow Indians to speak thei languages. No one knows know how many Indian languages once existed. | Full Story