Native Peoples of the Southeast

Who were the first people to call the southeastern United States home? Long before Europeans came to the region, American Indian nations lived off the rich and varied land. These peoples had different languages, governments, and cultures. Their traditions and heritage were shaped by the climate and terrain of the American Southeast.


• The Caddo traveled in canoes made from the wood of cypress trees.

• The Seminole wove baskets from sweetgrass and dyed them with berries, nuts, and roots.

• The Cherokee danced with rattles made of turtle shell strapped to their legs in what is called a stomp dance.


Twenty-first century American Indians still call the Southeast home. Find out what these groups have in common and what makes each nation unique.