Melissa Nguyen
HIS 200: Applied History
Southern New Hampshire University
October 3, 2021
Revised Thesis
Despite Cherokee people being rightful occupants of the land and becoming compliant,
civilized, and ideal models of cultural assimilation by embracing the ways of white settlers,
President Jackson, along with his men, elected to pursue the Trail of Tears and unjustly remove
the Cherokee people destroying their beautiful culture and traditions created by deception,
manipulation, and abuse of power.
Introduction
On May 28, 1830, the Indian Removal Act was signed into law by President Andrew
Jackson, authorizing the president to grant lands west of the Mississippi in exchange for Indian
land located in the east. Although a few tribes relocated peacefully, many opposed the relocation
policy and sought Congress for assistance. With Congress on their side, the Cherokee nation
refused to leave their land, ultimately resulting in forceful removal from their homes and
relocated thousands of miles away due to greed and unjust abuse of government power. This
historical event had an influential impact on several notable policies and laws over the three
decades that followed. Despite Cherokee people being rightful occupants of the land and
becoming compliant, civilized, and ideal models of cultural assimilation by embracing the ways
of white settlers, President Jackson, along with his men, elected to pursue the Trail of Tears and
unjustly remove the Cherokee people destroying their beautiful culture and traditions created by
deception, manipulation, and abuse of power.
