How would you feel if you were forced to leave your home and never come back? The Indian Removal Act forced the Native Americans to move into new Indian Territory even though the Indians inhabited the lands first. In 1830, Andrew Jackson passed the Indian Removal Act and forced Native Americans to sign treaties. These treaties forced Native Americans to move to lands west of the Mississippi (Davidson 339). The Indian Removal Act was therefore out of order because the Indians were the first inhabitants of the land, the Americans cheated them on treaties and trades, and the Indians were treated horribly by the Americans. One of the main reasons why the Indian Removal Act was wrong is because the Native Americans were living on the land long before the Americans had discovered it. With their time, the Indians built a real nation with it’s own written language, printing press, and newspaper. They had a productive agricultural economy with an iron working industry, and also created their own government (Marshall). Since the Native Americans occupied these lands first, the Americans had no right to take these …show more content…
In 1832, the Indians signed a treaty which stated that the federal government would provide them with suitable western land and would protect them until they moved. But, with the onslaught of white settlers, the War Department backed down on it’s promise (pbs.org). Also in 1833, a small faction of the Cherokee were tricked to sign an illegal removal treaty, also known as the “Treaty of New Echota.” Led by Chief John Ross, over 15,000 Cherokees signed a petition in protest of this new treaty, but the Supreme court ignores their demands and instead ratified the treaty in 1836 (pbs.org). In all, the Indians shouldn’t have been forced to move since the Americans had cheated them in treaties and trades many times
Indians helped America in the War of 1812, then got kicked off their land. American leaders weren’t thinking at all! The Cherokees, an indian tribe that lives in Georgia, were asked to move out by Americans, but they didn’t want to; thus, The Indian Removal Act of 1830 was created. Some people were even about to start a war just to get the indians out. The Indian Removal Act of 1830 wasn’t justified for many reasons including that the Cherokees were there first, they saw other indian tribes getting treated badly, and that the supreme court sided with the Cherokees.
The indian removal act was justified because the whites needed the land more than the indians because they had bigger settlements and they had a bigger population and they needed the land to expand the settlement. They also needed it for farmland because they needed more crops to feed the people in settlements. The first piece of evidence from document 5 that supports that the indian removal act was justified is “They are barbarous people, depending for subsistence upon the scanty and precarious supplies furnished by the chase [and] cannot live in contact with a civilized community.” This piece of evidence proves that the native americans were barbarous people who cannot live in contact with a civilized community. They rely on supplies that the whites needed more than them. The last piece of evidence that supports the indian removal act was justified is, “Shield them from impending ruin, but promote their welfare and happiness” This means that it will shield them from impending ruin and it will make them and the whites happier and it will promote their welfare. Removing the indians will make both sides happy because the indians have better land and the whites have room to expand on their
During the American Revolution, white people cherished the Indian Removal Act because it forced the Native Americans out of the valuable land. For instance, the Indians were forced out of Georgia because there was gold there and the white people valued and felt they deserved it! The Native Americans tried all avenues and did everything in their power to attempt to keep their land but were unsuccessful. The Memorial states “As a distinct nation, notwithstanding any unpleasant feelings it might have created to a neighboring State, we had a right to improve our Government, suitable to the moral, civil, and intellectual advancement of our people, and had we anticipated any notice of it, it was the voice of encouragement by an approving world.”
One reason of the unjustification of the Indian Removal Act is the fact that the Cherokees owned the land before the Americans arrived; their tribe have lived on the land for hundred of years. A passage from Georgia Encyclopedia states, “White people in Georgia and other southern states that
The Market Revolution adversely affected the liberty of Native Americans residing within the United States because they were seen as an obstacle to the country’s economic progress. As the Market Revolution ideas of commerce and expansion took hold in the minds of the people, these white citizens shared the view that Native Americans were hindering the goal of expansion. It was the United State’s God-ordained right to occupy and settle the land westward (Manifest Destiny), and the Native Americans were in the way. The conflicts with Native Americans has existed in America since the first settlers, but with the increased emphasis on commerce and development brought by the Market Revolution, the relations worsened. In 1823, during the case of Johnson v M’Intosh, the Supreme Court claimed that Native Americans only had the “right of occupancy” on their land, and that they did not own it. In 1830, under Jackson’s administration, the Indian Removal Act was created which tried to move the 5 Civilized Tribes out of their lands. Finally, in the Trail of Tears during 1838-1839, 18,000 Cherokee men, women, and children were forcibly removed from their lands and relocated to Oklahoma by federal soldiers. Soon
Another reason why the Cherokee shouldn’t move is because the Americans had treated the Cherokee with disrespect. One way the Americans had treated the Cherokee disrespectfully is contacting the military to transport or move them to their new home. Another thing is and was that horses were stolen and hundreds and died from disease and malnutrition on the journey to the new land. Even though the Cherokee didn’t move to the new land when they were asked nicely. The Americans didn’t have the rights to force them to move because they had been there before they
Most of these tribes showed some resistance but quickly “agreed to sign the treaties for various reasons” (Cherokee Response). Some did so for the millions of dollars that the government offered them. Others did so to protect themselves and their families from white harassment and problematic situations involving the American government. Yet other tribes did so to appease the government and protect at least some of their land by offering a portion of it to the United States. Whatever reasoning each tribe selected, they eventually moved west of the Mississippi river. Though this voluntary movement, the United States gained control over numerous areas including Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. Though certain tribes protested the movement, these were nonviolent. However, not all Native American tribes reacted this way, but instead decided to actively protect their land. The three tribes who did so were the Seminoles, Creeks, and
In 1831, the Cherokee nation went to court against the state of Georgia. They were disputing the state’s attempt to hold jurisdiction over their territory. Unfortunately, because they are not under the laws of the constitution, the Indian’s right to court was denied. It was not until 1835 that the Cherokee finally agreed to sign the treaty, giving up their Georgia land for that of Oklahoma.
On may 28, 1830 the Indian Removal Act was passed by the congress and was signed by the current president at the time Andrew Jackson. The Indian Removal Act authorized the president to grant unsettled lands west of Mississippi in exchange for the Native Americans land. This forced Native American tribes to march their way west of Mississippi. Some tribes left in peace but most of the tribes resisted. In 1835 the agreement to, Treaty Of New Echota allowed Jackson to order Cherokee removal. Some Cherokee leaders signed the treaty and left but people under the leadership Chief John Ross resisted until they were forced to move to a new location 1838. Their forced journey to their new location was called the Trail Of Tears. Ever since, Native Americans have been living in reservation lands and the government has taken notice but don’t know if they should give them land or money. The government should be giving Native Americans land instead of money because the reservation lands are not
Have you ever thought about what happened to the Cherokees after the Indian removal act in 1830? Well, the Indian removal act of 1830 is the act that was signed by sir Andrew Jackson, allowing the president to exchange the aimless lands of Indians. Some of the tribes did not want to leave their rightful place, and some left with no problem. Although some of the Indians did horrible things to the innocent Americans, they should be allowed to stay because they fought by our side during some of the U.S wars. They lived there for hundreds of years.
The states had run out of room for available farmland. They could not move west because the Indian’s were occupying that land. Jackson signed the law in 1829. He negotiated with the Indians to exchange their land in the east for land in the west that was outside the borders of the United States. Jackson set aside all the land west of the Mississippi River for the Indians. In theory, the Removal Act was a peaceful and reasonable way for the Indians and the Americans to come to an agreement without fighting. It was until Jackson’s successor that things began to get violent with the trail of tears and the forceful removing of the Indians. Jackson just set in motion the
In 1830, the Jackson administration instated the Indian Removal Act. This act removed the Native Americans from their ancestral lands to make way for an increase of additional American immigrants. This act forced many Native American tribes from their homes including five larger tribes, Cherokees, Chickasaws, Choctaws, Creek, and Seminole. These tribes had populations were estimated to be around 65,000 people strong that lived in North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi. (Foner, 2012) The American Indians fought for their rights and beliefs through the American court system. Their other objective other than fighting for their rights was but in the end, they were forced out of their homes to move
In 1830, congress passed The Indian Removal Act, which became a law 2 days later by President Andrew Jackson. The law was to reach a fairly, voluntarily, and peacefully agreement for the Indians to move. It didn’t permit the president to persuade them unwillingly to give up their land by using force. But, “President Jackson and his government
As the Land-Hungry Americans poured into into the land, they encountered indians living in Indian Territory. (Caryl-Sue) The settlers wanted the removal of the indians so that they could expand as a nation and to use the land for their benefit, whether it be farming, hunting, or mining. So the white settlers tried everything to get the indians off the land. They stole and killed livestock, looted houses, and even murdered some; they also petitioned the government to do something about the indians living on the Indian Territory. After many complaints about the indians being the indian's land, congress finally started to consider their options, like the Indian Removal Act. The Indian Removal Act was designed so that the president could negotiate any treaty with the Indians. Despite it being passed in congress not everyone agreed with it. Some of the congress members disapproved of the Act, objecting that the i would be unfair for “Native Americans [to be removed] from their ancestral lands.” (NGS, 2014). Despite the contention in congress it was passed on March 28,
Action was necessary and accepted as rational by the American people because of their unsustainable racism and greed for land to expand their settlements. The intent was not to burden the Native Americans, but “Jackson fully expected the Indians to thrive in their new surroundings, educate their children, acquire the skills of white civilization so as to improve their living conditions, and become citizens of the United States”(Remini 213). In order to become citizens of the United States the Indians were expected to conform to the societal normalities of the white citizens. Jackson put the removal act in place to diffuse conflict and encourage Native Americans to accept the American way of life as their new culture. The idea was to act in the most humane manner that would help both sides, not necessarily to disregard the Indians heritage or way of life.