Interactive Notes
America’s Indian Removal Policies
Directions
View the PowerPoint on Haiku and answer the questions. Different slides go with different questions.
Please read all directions carefully to ensure you are viewing the correct slide. Upload your notes to
DropBox when you are done.
Slide 7
During the Presidency of Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809) America’s policy was to “allow” Native
Americans to remain east of the Mississippi as long as they became “assimilated” or “civilized.”
1.) Look up the words assimilate and civilize and write the definitions below.
2.) What is your opinion of Jefferson’s policy? Was if fair or unfair? Why?
3.) Looking back at the definition for assimilate, do you feel that the American Indians should have
been expected to assimilate to the culture and way of life the federal government wanted? Why or
why not?
4.) Why did Jefferson want American Indians to adopt a sedentary agricultural lifestyle? Was it a
trick or in their best interest?
Slide 8
Read the letter except written by Thomas Jefferson in 1803:
5.) Whose interests was Jefferson looking out for? How does this make you feel?
6.) If you were an American Indian and read this letter in 1803, how would you feel? What would
you do?
7. From this letter excerpt, how do you think Jefferson felt about American Indians and their
individual rights?
Slide 9
Read slide 9 and think about the idea of land “exchange” with American Indians and the federal
government.
8.) Imagine someone came to you and said they wanted your home, and if you agreed to leave your
home and move all your stuff out, they will give you an “equal or comparable” home somewhere
else. What would you say to this person?
9.) Now imagine you were an American Indian living in the East. Would you agree to move from
your home to the West for an “equal or comparable” home? Why or Why not?
10.) Look up the word treaty and write the definition below.
11.) What were land cession treaties and when did these treaties start being made with American
Indians?
12.) Given what we have discussed thus far, do you think the treaties between the US government
and American Indians were effective? Explain.
Slide 10-11 (The Treaty of Cherokee Agency)
Read slides 10-11:
13.) What was the goal of The Treaty of Cherokee Agency (1817) and how would you describe the
intentions of the United States?
14.) Why do you think the United States engaged in treaties with the Cherokee? If the end result
was to be removal, why did the federal government bother with treaties such as this?
Slides 12-14
Read slides 12-14 and use them to help you answer the following questions:
15.) Find the Preamble to the US Constitution online and compare it with the Cherokee Constitution
on Slide 13.
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What are the similarities in both constitutions?
What do the similarities of these two preambles tell us about the impact of settlers
and the American government on the Cherokee?
16.) According to the passage on Slide 14 by Cherokee Chief Ridge, what was the goal of the white
Christian missionaries sent to work with American Indians by Washington?
17.) Considering the work of white Christian missionaries, what role did they think religion played in
being “civilized?”
18.) Did the Cherokee have their own religion before the arrival of such missionaries? Why do you
think the missionaries disregarded the Cherokee religion? (Use the internet to search this answer).
19.) What did Chief Ridge mean when he stated, “…in the lapse of half a Century, if Cherokee blood
is not destroyed it will run its courses in the veins of fair complexions…?”
Slides 15-20
Read slides 15-20, then answer the following questions.
20.) Why do you think as the US grew, state governments pleaded to impose their laws and
jurisdiction over tribal lands?
21.) How do you imagine American Indians felt about being forced to follow the ever-changing laws
of the invading Americans, rather than the laws they had always followed?
22.) After reading slides 16-17 (Andrew Jackson’s First Annual Address to Congress), how does he justify
removal of American Indians? What examples does he give for “helping” civilize and remove these
people?
23.) What was the first removal treaty and which group of American Indians did it affect?
24.) What were the effects of the 1835 Treaty of New Echota on the Cherokee?
25.) Describe how Cherokee Chief John Ross felt about the Treaty of New Echota and the betrayal of the
US government.
Slides 22-24
Read Slides 22-24:
26.) What were the effects of the 1838-39 removal of the Cherokee and what did the removal become
known as?
Slides 25
Read Slide 25:
27.) What was the Cherokee response to removal? How did they attempt to fight their case in court?
28.) Out of everything the Cherokee endured, what do you think would have been most difficult and
why?
Slide 26
Read Slide 26:
29.) How do you think Junaluska felt being ignored by Andrew Jackson, whose life he had save years
ago?
30.) What do you think motivated him to attempt to lead an escape from Oklahoma?
31.) Why do you think Junaluska walked all the way back to North Carolina?
Slide 27
Read Slide 27:
32.) How would you describe Tsali? Why do you think he is considered a hero?
33.) Why do you think he was assassinated?