Chapter 6 Notes
Choctaw and Creek removals
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Louisiana Purchase - made the
Mississippi river area the “answer to
Indian problem” by some
Still…land hungry whites would cross
the river area and harass and still obtain
land
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John C. Calhoun,
Secretary of War
Was the “creator”
of Indian removal
as the answer to
Indian problem
He advocated
education before
removal
“Civilized”
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The Choctaws made swift progress in being
educated and civilized
Calhoun decided he would focus on them
for first removal
Oct 18, 1820 Choctaw leaders and the
Indian Commission signed “Treaty of Doak’s
Stand”
This was the first removal treaty signed
w/Choctaws
They would cede 5 million acres in the east
for 13 million acres west and financial
assistance in re-locating
Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek
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Signed on December 27, 1830
Would firmly establish gov’t policy on Indian
Removal
11 total provisions
Indian Removal Act
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Congress passed in May, 1830
Choctaws accepted gifts for land and felt they
had “put one over on the U.S. Gov’t
First party of 4,000 Choctaws were moved to
Indian Territory in Oct, 1831 (First of three
removals, met with a lot of hesitation)
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Dissension occurred among the
Creeks
Lower Creeks- Mixed blood who
were led by McIntosh family.
Upper Creeks- Led by
Opothleyahola
William McIntosh helped pass the
law in 1811 requiring the death to
anyone who sold off tribal lands
without consent of the council
Passed the Treaty of Indians Spring
on Feb 12, 1825
Creek council disagreed and a death
sentence was carried out against him
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John Quincy Adams
learned of the hostility
towards the Creeks, and
ordered a New Treaty
Invited the tribal chiefs to
Washington to discuss.
Indian Springs Treaty
declared invalid
New Agreement called for
cession of Creek lands in
Georgia and arranged for
McIntosh followers to
remove to the new lands
Chapter 7 Trail of Tears
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The Chickasaws were the most prosperous out
of the SE tribes. (Also, adjusted to white ways
of life the quickest)
Treaty of Pontotoc (1832) moved Chickasaws
to temporary locations on their former lands
while government sold their property to eager
white buyers
Treaty of Doaksville
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Signed on Jan 17, 1837
Chickasaw leaders and Choctaw leaders signed
this agreement
Choctaws agreed to sell portion of the central
and western areas of their nation in Indian
Territory to the Chickasaws
Cherokees were the first the
give the western journey a
name “The Trail of Tears” or
“Trail Where They Cried”
This name referred to all the
removals of the 5 Civilized
tribes, because of suffering
and death rates
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Gold was found in Georgia
Cherokees were literally routed from their
homes, their woman raped, the men beaten.
Georgia Guard sent to protect the peace, but
did their own cruel or evil acts
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Cherokee leaders Major Ridge, John Ridge,
Elias Boudinot, and Principal Chief John Ross
held firm that Gov’t should honor it’s promise
to leave Cherokees alone
On December 29, 1835 at New Echota;
Boudinot, Mjor Ridge, and John Ridge signed
a treaty to remove to the West (some think they
were bribed of tricked)
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Cherokees made efforts to avoid removal.
Such as, welcomed whit missionaries, become
literate and “assimilate” to white customs
Chickasaws efforts to avoid removal included:
accepting Christianity, become more adapt to
business
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Chickasaws, in order to become more
independent, did the following
Engage in vast farming ventures, Build
transportation and lodging services for
travelers, demand money for payment instead
of goods
“became business people”
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Winfield Scott was sent to
Georgia and Tennessee area
to take charge of the 7,000
troops to speed up removal.
The Treaty of New Echota
resulted in in the Cherokee
removal (The three leaders
who signed this treaty were
later killed)