Dr. Pressler
ENC 1101
5 June 2016
Economical Accounts of the Seminole Indians
Up until the end of the Third Seminole War in 1858, the Seminole Indians had little to no freedom, and were a hunted people oppressed by the United States government. Once this war was over, the Seminoles were finally free to live in the Everglades, where they could raise cattle, hunt manatees and other animals in the waters, along with hunting deer. Also, with the ending of the barricade of Florida from the Civil War, the Everglades had a vast supply of otters, deer, raccoons, and alligators that they could hunt for a wide range of hides to sell in the international markets.(West 4) Later in 1920 the Seminoles economy was disintegrating …show more content…
As a result, they had no income because they had no hide to sell. Therefore, many Indians decided to go to Miami and other areas in southern Florida because the tourist attractions were booming. The Seminole shows performed were a big part of the tourist scene from 1920 to 1960. They had different expertise such as alligator wrestling, cultural crafts including palmetto dolls, basket weaving, patch work, bingo halls, and casinos. Along with agricultural seasonal work and numerous other jobs in between.(Seminole) an example of one of these jobs was at the Dania Reservation, a Seminole village ran by matriarch Annie Tommie, where her and two creative other women by the names Rosalie Huff, and Ada Tucker made high quality one of a kind palmetto dolls.(West 52) These dolls resembled the appearance via clothing and the hairstyle worn by the traditional Seminole men and women. To make these dolls they wrapped colorful cloth around palmetto fiber stuffed with cotton. (Culture) These dolls were one of the top sellers in Seminole venders, and still are to this …show more content…
(History) A couple years later in 1979, a man named James Billie was elected as Tribal Council Chairman, and he quickly arranged to get a three million dollar loan from Florida Mafia boss Meyer Lansky. With this money the tribe built their first bingo hall on their Hollywood Reservation and started watching the money pour in. It only took the Seminole Indians six months to pay off their three million dollar loan. (West 125) The law in Florida was that bingo was legal, but only with a maximum payout of one hundred dollars. On the other hand, Billie thought since the status of the Indian tribes, they could potentially get away with offering a higher jackpot. It only took three years and a legal battle with the expansion of another bingo hall in Tampa and the jackpot was set at four thousand dollars. These bingo games, followed by poker and video slots were such a money maker for the Seminole Indians, and opened up the doors to so many more opportunities. (In Seminole