Unconquered and Unconquerable

Unconquered and Unconquerable. . The Chickasaw Nation has been a sovereign nation long before Europeans first set foot on North America. Known as the “Unconquered and Unconquerable Chickasaw Nation," Chickasaws are a proud people with a rich heritage., For hundreds of years, before the 1830 Indian Removal Act, Chickasaws lived in the southeastern part of North America where they controlled a portion of the Mississippi River. The Chickasaw homelands eventually became portions of Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama and Kentucky., Living in sophisticated town sites, the Chickasaws developed a highly refined ruling system complete with an effective legal system, time-honored traditions and respected religious leaders. They lived a largely agrarian lifestyle, but were quick to go to battle if necessary. In December of 1540, Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto was the first European to make contact with the Chickasaws. De Soto and his small army spent the winter of 1540-1541 occupying an abandoned Chickasaw village. As he prepared to depart, de Soto demanded 200 Chickasaws to carry supplies. Tired of the visitors and wearied by their demands and impositions, the Chickasaws decided to rid themselves of their unwelcomed guests. Chickasaw warriors burned the Spanish camp and forced the Spaniards out of Chickasaw territory., Chickasaw ferocity was well-known before this event, but this encounter caused a new wave of fear that continued to spread far and wide. Later writers dubbed the Chickasaw warriors the "Spartans of the Lower Mississippi." Chickasaws did not encounter any more Europeans until the late 1600s, when the French and British arrived., In the early 1700s, the Chickasaws defended a 37,000-square-mile territory and twice defeated direct French assaults - the best documented being the Battle of Hikki'ya' (Ackia) in 1736 which took place near present-day Tupelo, Mississippi.