Indian Removal, Andrew Jackson
and the Federal Government
Today!
• You are charged with determining whether Andrew Jackson is
a good President or a bad President.
• You will look at a series of events, collect facts, evaluate the
information and make a determination.
• Today, we will look at the Trail of Tears and Indian Removal.
• We will also examine Jackson and Nullification, his battle with
the National Bank, and some other key issues during his
presidency.
• You will eventually write an essay on your research so be sure
to take good notes.
Jackson and the Native Americans
• The new era of democracy in the 1830s led to
more people being involved politics.
• Jackson did not include Native Americans.
– The consequence of this decision resulted in the
removal of all remaining Native Americans east of
the Mississippi River.
Indian Removal Act (IRA)
• Native Americans living in the South were
subject to new pressure from the new economic
growth
• The expansion of cotton pressured Native
Americans to give up their land.
• 1830 – The IRA provided funds to uproot five
“civilized” tribes.
Indian Removal Act (IRA)
• The five tribes were:
– Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Seminole
• Roughly 60,000 people living in North
Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and
Mississippi
Indian Removal Act (IRA)
• The Cherokee attempted to become “civilized”
by American standards.
– Based on the Indian Removal Act the Cherokee are
unsuccessful.
• Jackson repeatedly refers to Native Americans
as “savages” in his messages to Congress.
The Supreme Court and the IRA
• The Supreme Court rules in 1832 (Worcester
vs. Georgia) that Native Americans have a
separate political identity from America.
– Must be dealt with by the Federal Government
• Consequence: Any state actions to remove
them are unconstitutional
The Supreme Court and the IRA
• Jackson ignores the decision by the Supreme
Court.
– “John Marshall has made his decision, now let him
enforce it.”
• Federal soldiers during Van Buren’s presidency
(Jackson’s successor) remove the Native
Americans.
Trail of Tears
• The forcible removal is known as the Trail of
Tears.
– 18,000 Cherokees are removed.
• Forced to moved to Oklahoma
• More than 25% die along the way to
Oklahoma.