Are Cherokee and Indian the same thing?

Answer 1

Indian is a title given to North American Native peoples by the Voyagers from Europe who first arrived. They mistakenly thought they would find the country of India by sailing west from Spain. They didn't know that the Americas stood between them and India.

Oddly enough the word "Cherokee" is not the word the Cherokee people originally used to refer to themselves. The name which the Cherokees originally used for themselves is Ah-ni-yv-wi-ya (literal translation "these are all the human people").

They had no "R" in their vocablulary until many years after contact with the Europeans. The word "Cherokee" is a derived word which came originally from the Choctaw trade language. It came from the Choctaw word "Cha-la-kee" which means "those who live in the mountains" . Eventually between English and other tribes uses of the pronuciations, the Tsalagi accepted the word Cherokee.

The Cherokee had their own system of writing which was developed by a member of their tribe after he saw the usefulness of having a written system. He could not read or write in English and yet he devised an entire system of putting their language into print. It is based not on letters as is English, but on the syllables of speech. Each symbol represents a syllable and their speech is made up of combinations of the different syllables. They were and are a hard working, intelligent and honorable people.

They were a peaceful group who lived in harmony with their neighbors, but those in power in the 1820's and 1830'sdecided the land they lived on could be better used by the Europeans. Especially since gold was discovered there. They were forced by threat of violence to relocate to what is now part of Oklahoma. It is a sad era of American history that the Cherokee and other similar tribes were treated so badly by the government of the time.

I personally rode my Harley to the trail of tears ride held in Chattanooga, TN and later rode to their village in Cherokee, NC. It was an honor and a pleasure to learn more of their culture and history.

Many Cherokee have served this country in time of war. Some of them made the supreme sacrifice. I find it ironic they would serve a country that abused their ancestors, but it was a different group of people in power who had a different mentality.

We must guard against such a thing repeating itself in this country.

Answer 2

The only Indians I know are in India. The Cherokee are a proud tribe of native Americans.

Answer 3

The Cherokees are a native american tribe, they are a specific indian tribe. so the answer is yes and no, the words do not mean the same thing but cherokees are indians.

Answer 4

Cherokee Indians were a particular tribe of aboriginal (native)
American. We sometimes refer to the North American
aboriginals as "Indians". That is, Cherokee Indians were
a type of American Indian.

There are other tribes of American Indians, such as Sioux
Indians, etc.

Triangles are a particular type of shape. Same idea.

Of course, the term "Cherokee" has been adopted by many
different manufacturers, the most famous for cars (Jeep
Cherokee).

Answer 5

Cherokees are Native Americans. Indians are from India.

Answer 6

The Cherokee were a tribe of Indians, so I guess the answer is yes.

Answer 7

Cherokee is a specific tribe of Native Americans. (Indian)

Answer 8

No, you're way off. Indian is a person from India. Cherokee is a North American tribe member.

Answer 9

Some indians are Cherokee, but not all. Best wishes

Answer 10

Yes . . Cherokee is an Indian tribe.