Indian Territory | Oklahoma, Five Tribes, Native Americans

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Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div> <div class="type-menu"> <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label> <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required> <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option> <option value="1">Factual Correction</option> <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option> <option value="3">Link Correction</option> <option value="4">Additional Information</option> <option value="5">Other</option> </select> </div> <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label> <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required></textarea> <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button> </form> <div class="success-messaging d-none mt-30"> <div class="title">Thank you for your feedback</div> <p>Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="md-websites-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom font-weight-bold"> External Websites </div> <div class="pb-20"> <ul class="list-unstyled mt-20 lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.blm.gov/american-indian-territory" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">U.S. Department of Interior - Bureau of Land Management - American Indian Territory</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12261992" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">NPR - Indian Territory: Tracing the Path to Oklahoma</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/fed-indian-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">National Archives - Maps of Indian Territory, the Dawes Act, and Will Rogers' Enrollment Case File</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1310&context=unpresssamples" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">DigitalCommons at University of Nebraska - Lincoln - The Civil War and Reconstruction in Indian Territory</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://guides.loc.gov/native-american-spaces/cartographic-resources/indian-territory" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">Library of Congress Research Guides - Indian Territory</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=IN018" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">Oklahoma Historical Society - The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Indian Territory</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="toc-header-marker"></div> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 js-header-ai-ask-button d-none btn-sm btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 mr-0 mr-lg-10 ml-5 ml-sm-10 ml-lg-0 p-10"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> <div class="md-byline module-spacing "> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written and fact-checked by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Indian-Territory/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Major Events: </dt> <dd><a href="/event/Trail-of-Tears" topicid="602008">Trail of Tears</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Key People: </dt> <dd><a href="/biography/Mary-Lucinda-Bonney" topicid="73204">Mary Lucinda Bonney</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Patrick-J-Hurley" topicid="277285">Patrick J. Hurley</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Related Topics: </dt> <dd><a href="/topic/Indigenous-American-peoples" topicid="405873">Indigenous American peoples</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/Cherokee-people" topicid="109474">Cherokee</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/Seminole-people" topicid="534073">Seminole</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/Creek-people" topicid="142389">Creek</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/Chickasaw-people" topicid="110666">Chickasaw</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Related Places: </dt> <dd><a href="/place/United-States" topicid="616563">United States</a></dd> <dd><a href="/place/Oklahoma-state" topicid="426523">Oklahoma</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/Indian-Territory"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref29281"></span>Indian Territory</strong>, originally “all of that part of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">United States</a> west of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Mississippi-state" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Mississippi</a>, and not within the States of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Missouri-state" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Missouri</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Louisiana-state" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Louisiana</a>, or the Territory of Arkansas.” Never an organized territory, it was soon restricted to the present state of <span id="ref29282"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Oklahoma-state" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Oklahoma</a>, excepting the panhandle and Greer county. The <span id="ref29283"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Choctaw" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Choctaw</a>, <span id="ref29284"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Creek-people" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Creek</a>, <span id="ref29285"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Seminole-people" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Seminole</a>, <span id="ref29286"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Cherokee-people" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Cherokee</a>, and <span id="ref29287"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Chickasaw-people" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Chickasaw</a> tribes were forcibly moved to this area between 1830 and 1843, and an act of June 30, 1834, set aside the land as Indian country (later known as Indian Territory).</p><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">In 1866 the western half of Indian Territory was ceded to the United States, which opened part of it to white settlers in 1889. This portion became the Territory of Oklahoma in 1890 and eventually <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="encompassed" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/encompassed" data-type="MW">encompassed</a> all the lands ceded in 1866. The two territories were united and admitted to the Union as the state of Oklahoma in 1907.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article></div> </div></div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":1,"pageId":286000,"pageLength":145,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.130.14"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.130.14' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"A","adLeg":"A","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"SMALL","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":false} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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Indian Territory | Oklahoma, Five Tribes, Native Americans | Britannica