The Shawnee Tribe

Scattered across the United States due to being driven from their homeland in the North Eastern area, the Shawnee Native American tribe became a diversely skilled group of fighters with leaders who still stand out in history today. The Shawnee tribe originated from the Ohio River Valley, but were forced out supposedly by Iroquois in the 1600s, and spread out to Pennsylvania, Illinois, or even as far as Maryland or Georgia. As time passed and Iroquois power weakened, the Shawnee were able to return to their home, only to be pushed out once more by white settlers. During the American Revolution, the Shawnee fought with the British against the colonists in hopes to keep their land and have the colonists removed. Following the war, the SHawnee

Shawnee warriors’ weapons of choice were bow and arrows, with bows being constructed carefully from a choice selection of wood or antlers, and arrow shafts from shoots of wood or reeds of grass. Arrows head shapes and sizes varied amongst different purposes; blunt, wooden points were used for shooting birds whereas sharp, harpoon like points were used for spearing fish. Wild turkey feathers were preferred for fletchings, but many other birds feathers were used such as eagle or crow. Fletchings were vital, as they kept the arrows from tumbling while in flight and made for more precise shooting. The Shawnee also used axes, otherwise known as tomahawks, for fighting, but also for everyday purposes such as chopping wood. Tomahawks in everyday use were usually forged from iron or brass. Tomahawks which were more for decoration or gifting were forged from pewter or silver, and intricately engraved with personalized designs or patterns formed from stone inlays. Surprisingly, tomahawks were one of the most decorative and most artistic items in native american culture, and were also a highly traded item because of their light weight, and their capability to be used effectively in with just one hand. Another light weapon the Shawnee used for both hunting and combat was the spear or lance. Spears were made powerful because of a special design called the atlatls, which is a narrow wooden shaft, hollowed out at the end in the form of a cup. Warriors would balance the spear on the atlatl, and double the amount of momentum behind their swing rather than if they were just using their arms. Early conquistadors and European fighters recorded the spears were powerful enough to pierce through their chain mail armor. Lances were only made a greater weapon once horses were introduced to the Americas, and became a notable weapon amongst horseback