The Chickasaw lived in several villages of small, one-room log cabins. Each village was headed by a chief. The people supported themselves by farming, fishing, hunting, and trading with neighboring tribes.
The Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto was th first white person to come into contact with the Chickasaw. He and his group spent the winter of 1540 - 1541 in one of their villages while searching for gold. Before leaving, de Soto demanded that some of the Chickasaw join him to help carry supplies. The Indians became angry and attacked de Soto's expedition, killing about 12 of his men.
The Chickasaw were fierce warriors. They helped Great Britain fight France and Spain for control of what is now the Southeastern United States. They also supported the British during the Revolutionary War. During the civil war, the tribe fought for the Confederacy.
In 1837, the government moved the Chickasaw west to the Indian Territory to make room for additional white settlement in the South. The forced march of the Indians to their new territory became known as the Trail of Tears because thousands of Indians died on the way. In 1907, the Chickasaw Territory became part of the new state of Oklahoma.
Today, about 5,300 people of the Chickasaw descent make their homes in Oklahoma. A tribal government elected by the Chickasaw helps provide for the general welfare of the tribe.
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