“Indian Removal”
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Focus Question: Why did Jackson use force to
remove Native Americans from the Southeast?
*Andrew Jackson had great popularity for his
victories as a general over Native Americans in
the Southeast. As President, he worked to remove
them from their homelands there.
Native Americans of the Southeast
*When Jackson became President more than
100,000 Native Americans lived east of the
Mississippi River including the Choctaw,
Chickasaw, Cherokee, Seminole and Creek
nations. Many were farmers or lived in towns.
*The Cherokees had adopted some white customs.
In addition to farming, some ran successful
businesses, had their own schools, and some could
speak and read English. Many had converted to
Christianity.
*Sequoyah, a learned Cherokee leader, had even
created a written alphabet for their language.
*In 1827, the Cherokees established a gov't based
on a written constitution and claimed status as a
separate nation and started a newspaper.
Conflict Over Land
*The presence of Native Americans in the
Southeast stood in the way of westward expansion
and white farmers wanted the fertile land Native
Americans lived on for growing cotton.
Forced Movement
*Policies to move Native Americans from their
land dated from the presidency of Thomas
Jefferson (who hoped their move would be
voluntary) to the treaties signed after the War of
1812 where Native Americans gave up their lands
and moved west of the Mississippi River.
*Native Americans in the Southeast would not
move and pressure on them to move continued to
grow until white southerners were demanding
that Native Americans be removed by force.
*In 1825 and 1827, Georgia passed a law forcing
first Creeks and then Cherokees to give up their
land. The state said the Cherokees were not a
separate nation and had to move off their land.
Support for Native Americans
*Georgia's actions were challenged in two suits
before the Supreme Court.
1. Cherokee Nation v. Georgia - went
against the Cherokees and the Court
refused to stop GA from enforcing its law.
2. Worcester v. Georgia - ruled that
Georgia's laws can "have no force"
within Cherokee Territory.
*Chief Justice Marshall quoted several treaties
made by the United States and guaranteeing
certain territory to the Native Americans. Under
the Constitution, treaties are supreme and
Georgia had no say over the Cherokee Territory.
*Jackson wanted the Native Americans removed
and was furious with Marshall's ruling stating,
"Let him enforce it!" Jackson was already
putting a law into effect called The Indian
Removal Act of 1830. This gave Jackson the
authority to offer Native American nations the
land west of the Mississippi River in exchange for
their lands to the east of it. It also provided
money for the law to be carried out.
On the Trail of Tears
*Native American leaders signed the treaties
believing they had no choice. They agreed to
move to what was called Indian Territory in what
is now Oklahoma.
Removal of the Choctaws
*The Choctaws signed the treaty in 1830 and,
closely guarded by American soldiers, moved
west between 1831 and 1833.
*Not enough tents, food or supplies were
provided and heavy rain and snow caused
enormous suffering.
Cherokee Removal
*The Cherokees held out until after Jackson was
out of office. President Martin Van Buren, in
1838, forced the Cherokees to move.
*In the winter of 1838-39 they were guarded
by 7,000 soldiers and followed a route now
called the Trail of Tears as they were forced
to march hundreds of miles with little food
or shelter. Of the 15,000 Cherokees who
began the trip, 4,000 died along the way.
*The Seminoles fought three wars against
removal. However in the 1840s they too, were
forced out and into Indian Territory.
Chapter 10-4 Review Questions
What were some of the customs and ways of life of
the Cherokees?
Many converted to Christianity, spoke English
and ran businesses.
According to Marshall, why was Georgia barred
from applying its laws to Cherokee territory?
Marshall said that the Cherokees had a right tot
heir land because they were a Native American
tribe that had treaties with the United States. The
state of Georgia could not violate federal laws and
treaties.
What mistakes in planning did the government
make before removing Native Americans?
It did not provide enough tents, food, blankets,
shoes, winter clothers, or other supplies.