<P> It consisted of the Cherokee (ᏣᎳᎩ--pronounced Tsalagi or Cha - la - gee) people of the Qualla Boundary and the southeastern United States; those who relocated voluntarily from the southeastern United States to the Indian Territory (circa 1820--known as the "Old Settlers"); those who were forced by the Federal government of the United States to relocate (through the Indian Removal Act) by way of the Trail of Tears (1830s); Cherokee Freedmen (freed slaves); as well as many descendants of the Natchez, the Delaware and the Shawnee peoples . </P> <P> The Cherokee called themselves the Ani - Yun' wiya . In their language this meant "leading" or "principal" people . Before 1794, the Cherokee had no standing national government . The people dwelt in "towns" located in scattered autonomous tribal areas related by kinship throughout the southern Appalachia region . Various leaders were periodically appointed (by mutual consent of the towns) to represent the tribes to French, British and, later, American authorities as was needed . The title this leader carried among the Cherokee was "First Beloved Man"--being the true translation of the title Uku, which the English translated as "chief". The chief's function was to serve as focal point for negotiations with the encroaching Europeans, such as the case of Hanging Maw, who was recognized as chief by the United States government, but not by the majority of Cherokee peoples . </P> <P> At the end of the Cherokee--American wars (1794), Little Turkey was recognized as "Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation" by all the towns . At that time, Cherokee tribes could be found in lands nominally under the jurisdiction of Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and the Overhill area that was to become part of the state of Tennessee . The break - away Chickamauga band (or Lower Cherokee), under chief Dragging Canoe (Tsiyugunsini, 1738--1792), had retreated to and now inhabited an area that would be the northern area of the future state of Alabama . </P> <P> U.S. president George Washington sought to "civilize" the southeastern American Indians, through programs overseen by US Indian Agent Benjamin Hawkins . Facilitated by the destruction of many Indian towns during the American Revolutionary War, U.S. land agents convinced many Native Americans to abandon their historic communal - land tenure and settle on isolated farmsteads . Over-harvesting by the deerskin trade had brought white - tailed deer in the region to the brink of extinction; therefore, pig and cattle raising were introduced, becoming the principal sources of meat . The tribes were supplied with spinning wheels and cotton - seed, and men were taught to fence and plow the land (in contrast with their traditional division of labor in which most cultivation for farming was considered woman's work). Women were instructed in weaving . Eventually blacksmiths, gristmills and cotton plantations (along with slave labor) were established . </P>

Who was a prominent cherokee chief who lobbied for the establishment of a cherokee nation