Seminole Wars deck

James Y. Humphreys was a prominent card manufacturer in Philadelphia during the early 19th century, known for producing high-quality playing cards with intricate designs. This deck commemorates the Seminole Wars, a series of conflicts between the United States and the Seminole people in Florida during the early 19th century. These wars were a result of territorial disputes and the Seminole’s resistance to forced removal from their lands.

The Seminole people on the jacks are portrayed as significant and prominent leaders. Making the four queens classical divinities like Minerva, Venus, Ceres, and Justitia seems to purposefully infuse the deck with a sense of righteousness, justice, wisdom and sustenance of life. The four kings, reflecting their esteemed roles and contributions to the nation’s history, add an aura of historical reverence to the deck. Thus the deck may have reinforced prejudices against Native Americans and not fully conveyed the dignity of the Seminole people’s culture and history.

Above: Seminole Wars deck by J. Y. Humphreys, Philadelphia, c.1819. Source gallica.bnf.fr / Bibliothèque nationale de France • Jeu de cartes américain dit des guerres séminoles►

The deck has the innovative feature of the suit symbols being coloured blue, green, orange and red, instread of red & black, supposed to reduce the possibility of error during play.