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How Did Cherokee's Fight For Sovereignty

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The Cherokee’s Fight for Sovereignty
Gold was discovered near Cherokee territory in Georgia. As a result, Georgia desired to remove the Cherokees and relocate the Cherokees to lands that are west of the Mississippi River. This struck a major debate. Andrew Jackson was known to support the removal of Native Americans, so the state of Georgia took advantage of the scenario. With little difficulty, the Indian Removal Act was passed in 1830. The Cherokees did not relocate without resistance. They sent several documents to Congress to argue their case. These documents included three arguments to support the sovereignty of the Cherokee nation. These three arguments were the Cherokees had natural rights to their inherited lands, Great Britain saw …show more content…

The Cherokees used that land as the main focal point. For instance, "The land on which we stand we have received as an inheritance from our fathers, who possessed it from time immemorial, as a gift from our common Father in Heaven. We have already said, that, when the white man came to the shores of America, our ancestors were found in peaceable possession of this very land. They bequeathed it to us as their children, and we have sacredly kept it, as containing the remains of our beloved men. This right of inheritance we have never ceded, nor ever forfeited." The Cherokee insisted that they inherited this land from their ancestors; therefore, the Cherokee argued for the right to sustain their inherited lands without any conflict The Americans were so overwhelmed with the lust for gold that they ignored the most basic right of the …show more content…

For instance, "If, as it is stated by the Hon. Secretary of War, that the Cherokees were mere tenants at will, and only permitted to enjoy possession of the soil to pursue game; and if the States of North Carolina and Georgia were sovereigns in truth and in right over us; why did President Washington send "Commissioner Plenipotentiaries" to treat with the subjects of those States?" The Cherokees used this information to argue that the ambassadors sent by the United States showed that the Cherokees nation was independent. Ambassadors are diplomats of one country that are sent to another country to discuss diplomatic issues. Therefore, the Cherokees viewed themselves as an independent nation, with their own laws and governing

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