The Miccosukee Tribe of South Florida is a federally recognized Indian tribe who reside on a reservation that lies within the Florida Everglades. As such, like many Indian tribes, their modern political history is entangled with the history of the creation of nearby national parks that were previously their traditional hunting territories. Since the beginning of the era of Everglades restoration and the rise in public policy designed to save the “River of Grass” from pollution, encroaching development, and eventual extinction, the Miccosukee have been on the front lines of trying to preserve the area they call home. While the Everglades means many different things to many different people, the Everglades to the Miccosukee Indians are the site and stakes of indigenous sovereignty. I argue that the issue of Everglades preservation is not just a matter of environmental conservation, but also a matter of fundamental human rights. Theoretically, I situate the debate surrounding the Florida Everglades within several theoretical paradigms, including the rights of indigenous peoples, the anthropology of development, and political ecology. I use anthropological research methods such as in-depth interviews with tribal officials and local environmental agencies to gain a complete picture of the current political landscape of the Everglades. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2020. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection