Which of the following provided the first step in uniting the divided Cherokee Nation after the Civil War?

After the Civil War, the Cherokee Nation was divided, and electing Lewis Downing as chief in 1867 began the process of bringing the factions together. The death of John Ross occurred earlier, in 1866, but did not itself unite the Nation. Therefore, the first step was the election of Lewis Downing as chief in 1867.

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