The Civil War is one of the bloodiest conflicts in the nation’s history. Often seen as fought between just two groups of white Americans, those in the North and South, this war affected many different cultures, races, and regions. Native Americans played a part in the Civil War for both the Union and Confederacy. In the early 1800s many eastern American tribes were forcefully located to what was known as Indian Territory. This regions included parts of modern day Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska, and was the new home for the Five Civilized Tribes. These tribes were Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Seminole, and Creek. Once the Civil War broke out the Union and Confederate states both saw the advantages of having Native American tribes on their side. This led to recruitment efforts, which saw the largest Cherokee nation align with the Confederacy, followed by the majority of members of the remaining five tribes. Just like with white Americans, the Civil War was a conflict that split families. Because of this, there were factions of these tribes that split and pledged their allegiance to the Union. Native American tribes often aligned with the side that they saw as best serving their interests. The motivations for Native Americans to join the Civil War on either side included preservation of their lands and tribes as independent nations, protecting their livelihoods, and preservation or abolition of slavery.
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