Conflict Over Indian
Lands
Chapter 10
Conflicting Views
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Only 105 years after white settlers came to
Georgia, the Native American population was
gone due to the one treasure the white setters
wanted – land.
Indians believed land could only be used, but
never owned.
Whites believed land was to be bought, sold or
inherited.
Tribal Leaders
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Alexander McGillivray, William McIntosh,
John Ross, Elias Boudinot, and George Guess
were defenders of Native Americans (mothers
were N.A.)
Native Americans took heritage of mother, so
sons were accepted as well-educated members
of both societies.
Tribal chiefs had English and Native names to
be able to “live in both worlds”.
Georgia’s Native American Tribes
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Five major groups: Creeks, Cherokees, Seminoles,
Choctaws (largest) and Chickasaws.
Creeks not a single tribe (confederation), also known
as Muscogees. Upper Creeks lived in towns in
northern Alabama. Lower Creeks, some known as
Seminoles, ended up in Florida.
The chiefdom was run by chief (mico) and tribal
council. Mico in charge of dealing with other
chiefdoms or treaties with Whites.
Conflict Between Creeks and Whites
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Georgians angry Creeks sided with British, so
demanded their land between Ogeechee and
Oconee rivers.
Chief Alexander McGillivay of Upper Creeks
refused. Met with G. Washington and gave up
lands.
Federal gov’t promised Georgia to remove
Native Americans as soon as reasonably and
peacefully possible.
Creeks and Settlers
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Creeks and settlers fighting for land. Creeks
eventually gave up land for money and goods.
Col. Benjamin Hawkins became U.S. Indian
Agent for Creeks. He tried to teach them
modern farming skills and to keep peace
(despite pressure from Whites for more land).
War of 1812
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In 1812 America went to war again with Britain
(shipping and land rights). Lower Creeks sided with
Americans, Upper Creek (Red Sticks) saw it as a
chance to get land back.
Creeks killed 500 people at Fort Sims in 1813.
Gen. Andrew Jackson fought Red Sticks (with
Cherokees and Creek Chief Willam McIntosh) for
revenge. 700 Red Sticks killed that day.
In Gen Jackson had all Creeks meet him at Ft.
Jackson for “peace”. Although most had fought with
him, Jackson forced them to give all land in South
GA and Eastern Alabama.
Pressure on Creeks
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After war Indians asked to go west (free land)
or could no longer be separate nations.
Creeks began adapting to white culture, but
still owned lots of land in Georgia. Federal
gov’t tried to “bargain” with Creeks. Most
resisted giving up more land.
Chief McIntosh
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Father was Scottish, mom was Creek. He was
a first cousin to Governor Michael Troup.
Fought under General Jackson against other
Creeks at Horseshoe Bend.
McIntosh given lots of money to get Creeks to
sell remaining land.
Then tried to give Cherokees money to sell
their land. Cherokees warned Creeks to watch
their chief.
Chief McIntosh
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February 12, 1825 McIntosh signed treaty
ceding all Creek lands to U.S.
May 1, 1825 Creeks surrounded McIntosh’s
house, set it on fire, and killed him.
Gov. Troup wanted U.S. to enforce treaty, but
Pres. John Adams said it wasn’t legal. Gov.
Troup threatened war with U.S., so Adams
backed down. Creeks had to sell.
The Seminoles
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Accepted escaped slaves to live on their land
and become members of tribe (Black
Seminoles)
White settlers angry over loss of slaves and
War of 1812. Andrew Jackson won first
Seminole War. In 1819 Spain ceded Florida to
U.S.; Seminoles forced to Central Florida to
live on reservation.
1830 Indian Removal Act
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Required consent and payment to Indians, but
they were really forced to move.
Land set aside in Oklahoma and Arkansas.
2nd Seminole War lasted 7 years. Entire
Seminole tribe was forced to move to new
Indian Territory out west.
The Cherokees
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Lived in Appalachian Mts (TN, GA, NC and
AL) able to avoid removal a little longer than
Creeks.
Often fought settlers (sided with British),
defeated at Rome. Sided with US in Creek
War of 1813 and 1814.
Started out as towns and chiefdoms, but
Cherokees wanted to unite more as a nation
and unified government.
The Cherokee Nation
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Best adapted to White culture
Sequoyah (George Guess) taught other
Cherokee language (syllabary)
New Echota Cherokee captial – had similar
constitution to U.S.
Cherokee Phoenix bilingual newspaper
Farmers and storeowners who often accepted
Christianity.
Cherokee Nation
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Recognized as government by U.S. but not Georgia
Gold discovered in Cherokee territory – Lumpkin Co.
becomes Georgia property (Dahlonega becomes
county seat)
1828 General Assembly passed act to declare
Cherokee laws “null and void”
Indians could not testify against whites or sue a white
person.
The Downfall of the Cherokee
Nation
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Cherokees go to Washington to protest
(memorial), but Andrew Jackson became
President.
Jackson treats Indians as children and tells
them to go west.
GA upset that federal troops were sent to
remove gold rushers from Cherokee land
Protestant missionaries warned to take an oath
of allegiance to Georgia.
Downfall of the Cherokee
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Missionaries refused to say oath and jailed
U.S. Supreme Court heard Worcester vs
Georgia and agreed that Georgia laws didn’t
apply to Cherokee nation.
William Lumpkin, governor, disagreed, as did
President Jackson. Refused to listen to the U.S.
Supreme Court. The Cherokees would lose
their land.
Division of Cherokee Land
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Great land lottery of 1832 would include
Cherokee land. 10 new counties created;
Cherokee families forced out of their homes.
Cherokees tried to be citizens of U.S., but
Jackson refused. Some followed Chief John
Ross in resisting moving west.
The Ridge Faction
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One group, lead by Major Ridge, John Ridge
and Elias Boudinot, sighed a treaty to give up
land and move west for $5 mil. Many
Cherokees angry this was done.
Most Cherokees who stayed would be driven
out of Georgia by white settlers.
The Trail of Tears
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1838: Genreal Winfield Scott rounded up last
15,000 Cherokees in Georgia to force them
out.
Some escaped to mountains and stayed there.
Indians forced to walk in winter, killing
thousands of men, women and children.
22 wealthy mixed families given citizenship,
but had to buy back land won in lottery.