Cherokee syllabary
The Cherokee syllabary, the writing system of the Cherokee Nation, is a syllabary, which consists of 85 characters ( Syllabogrammen ) and is used to this day for the written reproduction of the Cherokee language.
The script was developed in the early 19th century by Sequoyah (see there to the basic principles of this writing) and could also be set for printing. 1821 Sequoyah presented together with his daughter Ayoka the new writing system of the Cherokee tribal leadership in the Arkansaw Territory for the first time publicly before. The Cherokee leadership recognized the benefits of the system and supported a support and instruction. The success was enormous. There are estimates, according to which the literacy rate of the Cherokee in the early 19th century was approximately 90%. This high proportion of literate Cherokee exceeded the time even their European-born neighbors. Sequoyahs syllabary also attracted attention in Europe. 1826 were David Brown and George Lowrey entrusted to the laws of the Cherokee Nation, translate using of " George Guess " fictional characters in the Cherokee language and to make eight copies. Add to that a copy of the New Testament. 1828, the first newspaper was published in Cherokee, the Cherokee Phoenix, after Samuel Worcester had previously cast the necessary lead type of syllabic signs. There are scientists who argue that their own writing and their distribution has helped to preserve the language of the Cherokee, which is still understood by comparatively large number of tribesmen.
To this day, the Cherokee language is written in this document.