<span>The term "Seminole" is a derivative of "cimarron" which means "wild men" in
Spanish. The original Seminoles were given this name because they were
Indians who had escaped from slavery in the British-controlled northern
colonies. When they came to Florida, they were not called Seminoles as
they were actually Creeks, Indians of Muskogee derivation. The Muskogean
tribes comprised the Mississipian culture which were temple-mound
builders. Among the Muskogean tribes were the Creeks, Hitichis and
Yamasees of Georgia, the Apalachees of Florida, the Alabamas and Mobiles
of Alabama, and the Choctaws, Chickasaws and Houmas of Mississippi.
<span> The Origins of the Seminoles
The original Seminoles came to Florida because it was controlled by the
Spanish, who had no interest in returning slaves to the British. They
were mostly Lower Creeks who spoke the Mikasuki language, but other
Indians, including Yuchis, Yamasees and Choctaws who had confronted
Ponce de Leon and DeSoto, also joined the tribe in their trek to
northern Florida from Georgia during the early 1700s.
</span> By this time, many of the tribes in Florida, including the Tequestas,
Calusas, Apalachees, Timucans and others, had been decimated by the
Spanish presence, either in battles or by diseases such as smallpox. Out
of an estimated 100,000 native Americans that occupied Florida during
the 1500s, less than 50 survived.
In 1767, Upper Creeks from Alabama, who spoke the Muskogee language,
settled in the Tampa area. Shortly after this, in 1771, the first
recorded usage of the name "Seminole" to denote an actual tribe was
recorded. In 1778, the Seminoles were joined by more Lower Creeks and a
few Apalachees.
<span> The Five Civilized Tribes
Together with the Choctaws, Chickasaws, Creeks and Cherokees, the
Seminoles were called "The Five Civilized Tribes." The name was coined
because these tribes in particular adopted many ways of the white
civilization. They lived in cabins or houses, wore clothes similar to
the white man and often became Christians.
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Polk sent orders to the U.S. Navy in the Pacific to seize San Francisco Bay and other California ports in the event of war with Mexico in 1845 as part of his California strategy.
