Which group was referred to as the "Five Civilized Tribes"?

The term "Five Civilized Tribes" refers specifically to the Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek, Chickasaw, and Seminole. This designation was used primarily in the 19th century by settlers and the U.S. government to describe these tribes that had adopted various cultural practices of European Americans, including settled agriculture, centralized governments, and written languages. Their assimilation efforts, such as establishing schools and adapting their legal systems, distinguished them from many other Indigenous groups during this era. This label also underscores the complex relationship between Native American tribes and European settler societies, which often recognized the tribes' efforts to integrate while simultaneously leading to the forced removal of these groups from their ancestral lands through policies like the Indian Removal Act.