Final answer:
The Seminole reservation overlapped significantly with areas where the Seminoles traditionally lived, especially in Florida where many resisted removal and remained in the Everglades. The Black Seminoles had considerable influence within Seminole society, notably in wars and negotiations. A post-war assertion of Seminole sovereignty was demonstrated in the 1970s when they successfully challenged Florida's anti-gambling laws regarding tribal lands.
Step-by-step explanation:
The amount of overlap between the Seminole reservation lands and the areas where the Seminoles had previously lived was quite significant, especially in Florida where most Seminoles chose to remain despite pressures of removal. During the Second and Third Seminole Wars, many Seminoles were forcibly removed to Indian Territory, but a substantial number resisted and stayed behind in the Everglades, demonstrating an overlap of the reservation with their traditional lands. After the wars, there was a division within the Seminole people: the Oklahoma Seminole, consisting of those who moved voluntarily or were captured, and the Florida Seminole, composed of those who had successfully resisted removal and continued to live in the Everglades, where their ancestors had formerly resided.
The Black Seminoles played a significant role in the Seminole Wars and in maintaining the cultural heritage of the Seminole people within the reservations. They also had a considerable impact on the Seminole economy and society, being essential in both war and peace. In the 1970s, tribal sovereignty came to the forefront when the Seminole tribe in Florida challenged the state's anti-gambling laws by opening a bingo parlor on their land, resulting in a victory for Seminole sovereignty and setting important legal precedents for tribal autonomy.