Map of Extinct Native American Groups

Extinct Native American Groups and Reasons for Extinction

Groups That Became Extinct Due to Encounters with Colonists

1. Massachusetts – Eastern Massachusetts – Extinct as a distinct tribe
   • Decimated by European diseases, including smallpox and measles
   • Loss of land due to colonial expansion
   • Assimilation into surrounding populations
2. Susquehannock – Pennsylvania/Maryland – Extinct as a distinct tribe
   • War and conflict with Iroquois Confederacy
   • Epidemics of smallpox and other diseases
   • Forced displacement and absorption into other tribes
3. Yamasee – Coastal SC/GA – Extinct as a distinct tribe
   • Destroyed after the Yamasee War (1715-1717) against British colonists
   • Many survivors were absorbed into other Southeastern tribes
4. Guale – Coastal Georgia – Extinct as a distinct tribe
   • Conflict with Spanish and English settlers
   • Devastation from European diseases
   • Cultural assimilation into other tribes
5. Timucua – Northern FL/GA – Extinct as a distinct tribe
   • European diseases, primarily smallpox, decimated the population
   • Enslavement and forced relocation under Spanish rule
   • Last known full-blooded Timucua disappeared by the late 18th century
6. Calusa – Southwest Florida – Extinct as a distinct tribe
   • Spanish conquest and slave raids reduced population
   • Epidemics of European diseases
   • Survivors fled to Cuba or merged with other Indigenous groups
7. Natchez – MS/LA – Extinct as a distinct tribe
   • Defeated in war with the French in the early 18th century
   • Many survivors were enslaved or absorbed into the Creek and Cherokee nations
8. Eyak – South-central Alaska – Extinct as a distinct tribe
   • Declining population due to disease and intermarriage
   • Cultural and linguistic assimilation into neighboring tribes
   • Last fluent Eyak speaker passed away in 2008

Groups That Became Extinct Due to Encounters with the Spaniards

1. Guale – Coastal Georgia – Extinct as a distinct tribe
   • Conflict with Spanish and English settlers
   • Spanish mission system led to forced assimilation
   • Epidemics from European diseases devastated the population
   • Cultural assimilation into other tribes
2. Timucua – Northern FL/GA – Extinct as a distinct tribe
   • European diseases, primarily smallpox, decimated the population
   • Enslavement and forced relocation under Spanish rule
   • Spanish forced them into labor within missions, leading to population decline
   • Last known full-blooded Timucua disappeared by the late 18th century
3. Calusa – Southwest Florida – Extinct as a distinct tribe
   • Spanish conquest and slave raids reduced population
   • Epidemics of European diseases
   • Resistance against Spanish rule weakened their numbers
   • Survivors fled to Cuba or merged with other Indigenous groups
4. Jumanos – West Texas/New Mexico – Extinct as a distinct tribe
   • Contact with Spanish missionaries led to disease outbreaks
   • Enslavement and forced labor in Spanish missions
   • Cultural assimilation into Apache and Pueblo groups
5. Karankawa – Texas Gulf Coast – Extinct as a distinct tribe
   • Initial Spanish contact brought disease and conflict
   • Later warfare with Spanish and Anglo settlers led to their decline
   • Some survivors were absorbed into other tribes, but as a distinct group, they disappeared by the 19th century
6. Quivira (Wichita-related tribe) – Kansas/Oklahoma – Extinct as a distinct tribe
   • Francisco Vázquez de Coronado's expedition in 1541 marked their first European contact
   • Disease, warfare, and displacement by Spanish expansion led to their disappearance
   • Absorbed into the larger Wichita tribe

Extinct Native American Groups in the Southwest, Northwest, and West Coast

1. Esselen – Central California – Extinct as a distinct tribe
   • Spanish mission system led to forced assimilation
   • Epidemics from European diseases devastated the population
   • Cultural blending with neighboring tribes led to loss of identity
2. Salinan – Central California – Extinct as a distinct tribe
   • Spanish missionization resulted in cultural erosion
   • Disease and forced labor reduced the population
   • Absorbed into other regional Indigenous groups
3. Coast Yuki – Northern California – Extinct as a distinct tribe
   • Decimated by European diseases and conflicts with settlers
   • Forced into reservations and absorbed into larger tribal groups
4. Takelma – Oregon – Extinct as a distinct tribe

• Forced removal following the Rogue River Wars (1855-1856)
• Survivors were relocated to the Siletz Reservation, where they merged with other tribes

1. Chasta – Oregon – Extinct as a distinct tribe

• Removed from their ancestral lands after conflicts with settlers
• Integrated into the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians

1. Klamath-Modoc (some bands) – Oregon/California – Partially extinct

• Some bands were terminated by the U.S. government in the 1950s but later reinstated
• Many Modoc were forcibly relocated to Oklahoma after the Modoc War (1872-1873)