Overview

Drawing on archaeological evidence and often-neglected Spanish source material, The Invention of the Creek Nation, 1670–1763 explores the political history of the Creek Indians of Georgia and Alabama and the emergence of the Creek Nation during the colonial era in the American Southeast. In part a study of Creek foreign relations, this book examines the creation and application of the “neutrality” policy—defined here as the Coweta Resolution of 1718—for which the Creeks have long been famous, in an era marked by the imperial struggle for the American South. Also a study of the culture of internal Creek politics, this work shows the persistence of a “traditional” kinship-based political system in which town and clan affiliation remained supremely important. These traditions, coupled with political intrusions by the region’s three European powers, promoted the spread of Creek factionalism and mitigated the development of a regional Creek Confederacy. But while traditions endured, the struggle to maintain territorial integrity against Britain also promoted political innovation. In this context the territorially defined Creek Nation emerged as a legal concept in the era of the French and Indian War, as imperial policies of an earlier era gave way to the territorial politics that marked the beginning of a new one.  

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9780803262935

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Reviews

""Hahn's book is good ethnohistory... His study should attract considerable debate among anthropologists."" - Gary Clayton Anderson, American Historical Review ""This fascinating account of the early political history of the Creeks (Muscogee) is heavy reading... This book contains extensive notes, bibliographical sources, maps, and an index. I recommend it for research collections on Native American Studies in tribal colleges and universities and highly recommend it for any Muscogee researching his/her roots."" - Betty J. Mason, Tribal College Journal of American Indian Higher Education ""The Invention of the Creek Nation is a scholarly piece of work augmented by archaeological evidence and a wealth of primary sources... [It] is a valuable source of information not only for historical and political students of the Creek and Native American studies, but also for the general historian interested in relations within the colonial era of the American Southeast between 1670 and 1763."" - Dewi I. Ball, Southern Historian ""This beautifully written book draws on the archeological evidence and uses the frequently neglected Spanish source material... It is a truly important document on the history of the Creeks."" - Rodney M. Peck, The Chesopiean ""This work takes Creek history to a whole new level."" - Michael P. Morris, Journal of Southern History ""With fine-grained use of Spanish, English, and French sources, Hahn writes a compelling, page-turner narrative largely organized around a succession of Creek political personalities... Hahn's strong suit is his look at Creek international relations and how international relations led to the invention of the Creek nation."" - Robbie Ethridge, Journal of American History

With fine-grained use of Spanish, English, and French sources, Hahn writes a compelling, page-turner narrative largely organized around a succession of Creek political personalities. . . . Hahn's strong suit is his look at Creek international relations and how international relations led to the invention of the Creek nation. --Robbie Ethridge, Journal of American History --Robbie Ethridge Journal of American History

Author Information

Steven C. Hahn is a professor of history at St. Olaf College. He is the author of The Life and Times of Mary Musgrove.

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