National parks are known for their scenic views, wildlife, and the opportunities to experience untouched land that they provide. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is not an exception. As you read, you will learn something about the history of the park, the Smoky Mountains, wildlife and plant-life in the park, and tourism in the area.

In about A.D. 1000, the first native people arrived in the Smokies. These people were the Cherokee. The life of the Cherokee was based on agriculture. Their towns were made up of up to fifty huts that were grouped around the town square and the council house. They worshipped one god and ruled their villages democratically. They continued to live like this until Europeans started arriving. The Cherokee first came in contact with Europeans in 1540, when Hernando de Soto led an expedition through their territory. (Great Smoky Mountains History p.1) By the late...