Which tribes of Native-American people lived in South Carolina

In 1600, South Carolina was home to an estimated 15,000–20,000 native people. They belonged to three major language groups: Siouan (spoken by the Catawba and some others), Iroquoian (spoken by the Cherokee), and Muskogean (spoken by peoples related to the Creek). The Siouan-speaking people were hunters and farmers. Their culture was similar to the Iroquois, Shawnee, and Cherokee.

The Congaree or Conagree were a group of Native Americans who lived in our state along the Congaree River. Only the Catawba tribe is federally recognized among the Native American tribes; they have lived in York County South Carolina. The other three tribes were Cherokee, Creek and Cusabo. The Sewee or “Islanders” tribe lived in the South and North Carolina regions closest to the coast. They lived on the Santee River, in the present-day Moncks Corner, South Carolina.

Archeologist found lots of artifacts left by Native Americans, for example arrowheads. One of them might be more than 10,000 years old. The state has lots of mounds. One of them is now under Lake Murray.

After the Yemassee war between British settlers and allied Native Americans, the Native Americans' numbers were greatly reduced. The Yemasee War was one of the most disruptive and transformational conflicts of colonial America. About 70 percent of South Carolina's settlers were killed. The cause was the huge debts that came from the trade practices between the British settlers and Native Americans. The language barrier did not help solve the conflict. The state ended the Indian slave trade and encouraged the development of powerful Indian confederacies. Many American Indians fled South Carolina and settled in Florida and Georgia.

We don't have the exact dates when the Native American moved back to our state. Currently, in South Carolina the estimated Native American population is 50,000. Our state recognizes nine tribes. They are the Beaver Creek Indians, the Edisto Natchez-Kusso Tribe of SC, the PeeDee Indian Nation of Upper SC, the PAIA Lower Eastern Cherokee Nation, Piedmont Indians, the Santee Indian Organization, the Sumter Tribe of Cheraw Indians, the Waccamaw Indian People, and the Wassamasaw Indian People of Varnertown.

We respect and preserve the Native American peoples' knowledge; we are still using their geographic place names, for example of rivers and towns. In the Cultural Center, Rockhill, SC, you can find exhibits and an artisan shop featuring pottery and jewelry from native artisans. We are learning about their cultures, and we are amazed by their survival skills. We celebrate them, and every year, especially in November, we remember them with story times with their stories, art programs, sharing their knowledge about medical plants and crops, and with their beautiful flute music. We admire their dances and Pow Wow celebrations.