CREEKS (so called from the numerous creeks running through their land), or MusconEE, inns-k0T. (Algonquin maskoki, creeks). An Indian confederacy, formerly holding the greater portions of Alabama and Georgia. and second in importance among the Gulf tribes only to the Cherokee. The ruling tribe was the Muscogee, whose language was the court language, besides which there were the Alabama, llichitee, Koasati, and others of the same Muskhogean stock, with the Uchee and Natchez (q.v), and a considerable incorporated band of Shawano. The Seminole of Florida were an offshoot from the Muscogee con federacy. They were agricultural, but warlike, living in villages of log houses, plastered on the outside with clay, and arranged in a rectangle about a central space reserved for public cere monies, chief of which was the annual 'busk,' or green-corn'dance. In the Colonial wars, and (lur ing the Revolution, they generally adhered to the English side. They made a treaty of peace with the United States in 1790, but in 1813, instigated by the English, again took up arms against the Americans, beginning hostilities by the terrible massacre of Fort Mims. They were completely
crushed by General Jackson in a brief but bloody campaign, in three battles in which they lost respectively 200, 300, and 800 warriors killed. Utterly broken, the Creeks were compelled to sue for peace, which was granted only OD sub mission to a peremptory 'demand' for the sur render of more than half their ancient territory. Other eessions quickly followed, until iu 1832 they sold all their remaining territory and agreed to remove beyond the Mississippi to their present habitat in the Indian Territory. Like the other Southern tribes, they were divided in sentiment during the Civil War, and suffered severely in that struggle. Under the name of the 'Creek Nation' they conduct an autonomous govern ment, similar in form to that of the Cherokees (q.v.). The nation numbers 16,000 citizens, of whom about two-t-hirds are of pure or mixed Creek blood.