How Did Georgia Violate The Power Of The Indians

Most Americans have at least some vague image of the Trail of Tears, but not very many know of the events that led to that tragic removal of several thousand Indians from their homeland. Indian lands were held hostage by the states and the federal government, and Indians had to agree to removal to preserve their identity as tribes. Trail of Tears is an excellent snapshot of a particular situation and will be eye opening to those who are not familiar with the story of the southern tribes and their interactions with the burgeoning American population. The Trail of Tears has become the symbol in American history that signifies the callousness of American policy makers toward American Indians in 1839 and 1839.

They cried, they wept, they grew stronger. It was a story of hope, courage, and survival. This was the Trail of Tears. Many events led up to the Cherokee’s removal. The Indian Removal caused the Cherokee indians to move west. A man named Major Ridge struck lots of bargains with the United States. This man, Major Ridge, was one of the native sons, born in 1771, that lived in the Cherokee territory. The Cherokee’s lived in the Christians Eden because they believe their ancestors once lived in the same area. Throughout Major Ridge’s youth years, the Shawnees, Choctaws, Chickasaws, the Creeks, and the United States endangered the Cherokees. Mr. Ridge and his family watched his town get burnt down by riflemen due to picking the wrong side during the American Revolution. The Cherokees watched their world change all around them. The Cherokee population dwindled to 12,000 in 1805, and lost over half their precious land. The United States wanted the Cherokees land, and for them to move west. The Americans offered a path for them to walk down. The Americans developed a policy called civilization which taught the Cherokees how to grow wheat; how to eat meals at regular set times instead of when ever they pleased, how to dress; how to speak English; how to pray in church at certain set times. The United States wanted all the tribes to be equivalent of their white neighbors. Thomas Jefferson states that they could be equal to the whites. John Ross was the future Cherokee chief; he grew

The government attempted to uphold relations with the Indians on the condition that they establish themselves in the beliefs and values of the United States people (Jackson, First Annual Message to Congress, 2). They wanted the Indians to be of the Christian faith and to learn their practices, such as their agricultural lifestyle and techniques, to help civilize and assimilate the Indian people. This really just rooted the settler’s supremacist temperament into place. The Supreme Court did back the Indians temporarily in the Worcester v. Georgia trial, in which the United States Supreme Court held that “the Cherokee Indians constituted a nation holding distinct sovereign powers” (Garrison, Worcester v. Georgia, 1). While it seemed a concerted effort, it eventually led to the forced signing of the Cherokee people at the “Cherokee capital of New Echota”, and furthermore, to the Trail of Tears and the downfall of the Indian nation (Garrison, Worcester v. Georgia, 1). The Americans ultimately made a frail attempt at civil dealings with the Indian people and their tribes, but when the Indians refused, the government used unnecessary force and aggression to get what they

When Americans expanded their country west, they interfered with many American Indian Tribes. In a letter he wrote to congress, he explained “This emigration should be voluntary… (but) if they remain within the limits of the states they must be subject to their laws” (Andrew Jackson’s Message to Congress December 7, 1829). Andrew Jackson offered to let the American Indians stay if they followed their laws. But in 1831, Jackson forced the Native Americans out of their homelands starting the Indian Removal. According to a reprinted in Niles Weekly Register, the Cherokee’s said “We wish to remain on the land of our fathers. We have a perfect and original right to remain without interruption or molestation”. Jackson lied to the American Indians about allowing them to stay. Jackson did not act democratically because he did not allow the American Indians to stay and forced them to move west. Jackson was fair to his supporters, but not to

In the Worcester v. Georgia case, the state of Georgia detained two missionaries, charging them with lodging on Indian Land without receiving a license from the state. Being citizens of the United States, both men had the right to sue in federal court. Supreme court justice, John Marshall, decided that the two men had been wrongfully detained and were qualified for protection by the federal courts. "Moreover, Marshall gave the Cherokee an important victory when he held that "the laws of Georgia can have no force" on Cherokee territory" (Keene, 244). Andrew Jackson was arrogant and wrote one of his supporter saying that the decision that was made was invalid. On the other hand, Georgia refused to accept the court's ruling and the prisoners were not released. Jackson refused to enforce Marshall's decision, mainly because he opposed Indian rights. In the end, to avoid conflict between the three branches of government Jackson convinced the governor of Georgia to release the two missionaries. This defeated any legal issues and freed the way for the Jackson administration to proceed with its policy of removal. The Indian Removal Act was an act that promoted the relocation of Indian tribes to lands west of the Mississippi. "This emigration should be voluntary, for it would be as cruel as unjust to compel the aborigines to abandon the graves

The second incident where Jackson stood by his solicitude for state rights was in the removal of the Indian tribes. Jackson has been associated mainly with his decision to support Georgia in its efforts to remove the Cherokee from their land, despite a Supreme Court ruling against the state. However his enthusiastic support for Indian removal was "undoubtedly one of the reasons he swept the southern states in the 1828 election" . Jackson had Native Indian policy on his mind from the beginning as he saw that Indians were subject to American sovereignty and that national security demanded they be removed. Removal to the West would increase the security of the US from outside attacks. Upon

Indian Removal Act, Andrew Jackson kicked the Native Americans out because it was valuable. The Choctaw, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Creek and Seminoles adopted white culture. The Native Americans had to sign a treaty to leave or be removed at gunpoint. One Tribe leader took his case to the supreme court for a ruling. The Case was called Worchester v. Georgia the judge said the have the right to keep their land. Andrew Jackson said “ he made his decision let him enforce it” and Jackson. During the end of Jackson's Presidency the economy took a dive and the state's power

Andrew Jackson knew that to win the 1829 election he had to first win over the votes of the frontier states (North Dakota through Texas). Jackson's main election selling point was to provide free land for the eager settlers. This was especially important in Georgia because new settlers were coming in and greatly desired the land the cherokee had. In order to justify his actions, Jackson stated the Cherokees had fought with the British during the Revolutionary war. However, the Cherokees were actually his allies during that time. One indian even regretted helping Jackson and said if he would have know it was going to be this way he would killed jackson right there. Just a few weeks after he won the election, the Georgia legislature passed a law removing all the Cherokee within the state borders. When the Indians went to the president for help he said, “No protection could be afforded to the Cherokees” unless they moved west of the Mississippi.” Caucasian citizens began to claim the homes of

Andrew Jackson, who was the 7th President of the United States, signed the Indian Removal Act in May 28th, 1832 and this policy granted Andrew Jackson the right to forcibly move the Native Americans to land west of the Mississippi. Even though “it is presumed that any explanation of Jackson’s purposes is an attempt to justify the mass killing of innocent people…” (Remini, 45) some would say his childhood affected him; seeing and hearing Indians Attacking places near his home. Or how he was the second President to make it into the business without an education. Some people thought that with gold being found in Georgia, this led many new white settlers looking to buy land from the Cherokee Indians. Although a lot could be said about Andrew

In the book, “American History: Beginnings Through Reconstruction” it states, “The Cherokees, however, appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to protect their land from being seized by Georgia. However, both Georgia and President Jackson ignored the Supreme Court” (Littel 405). This proves Jackson and white U.S. settlers were stubborn, and did not oblige by the law and the Supreme Court. It was unconstitutional to have the Natives removed to western

President Andrew Jackson was known as an anti-Native American man; he wanted all Native Americans out of his territory. So much so that the Cherokee, who have lived in Georgia for more than one hundred years, took their case to the Supreme

In the Supreme court case Worcester vs Georgia the court had to decide whether the state of Georgia was going have the authority to regulate relations American citizens and the Cherokee Nation. ( Supreme Court case study 10). The Supreme court decides its final verdict that Worcester should be released because “ The Cherokee nation is a distinct community in which the laws of Georgia can have no force” ( Supreme Court case study 10). Marshall also said that the the Cherokee Nation is protected by the United states government and has the right to govern themselves. After Jackson disobeyed the Supreme Court, in the 1830’s Congress passed the Native American Relocation Act which moved the five civilized tribes west of the Mississippi river into indian territory in present day Oklahoma.

In the Supreme Court case of the Cherokee Indians vs. Georgia, two decisions in 1831 and 1832 discussed that the Cherokee Indians must be protected for as long as they live in Georgia. The state of Georgia saw the Indians as unwanted inhabitants on their land and wanted them ousted entirely. Even though it was ruled that Georgia had no right to remove the Cherokees because of previous treaties made with the Us government, Jackson’s nationalism and views on states’ rights resulted in a policy that eradicated any danger to the unity of America. On the other hand, Jackson did empathize towards the Native Americans. He offered them money to help grant them their own land.

Most Americans have at least some vague understanding of the Trail of Tears, but not many know about the events that led to that tragic removal of thousands of Indians from their homeland. Indian lands were held hostage by the states and the federal government. The Indians had to agree to removal to maintain their tribe identities. Trail of Tears is an excellent example of a particular situation and will be eye opening to those who are not familiar with the story of the southern tribes and their interactions with the rapidly growing American population. The Trail of Tears has become the symbol in American history that indicates the callousness, insensitivity, and cruelty of American government toward American Indians in 1839 and 1839.

The ruling by the U.S. Supreme court was changed when Andrew Jackson became president. President Jackson went against the Supreme Court’s ruling and backed Georgia’s stance on Native American lands. President Jackson had a long history with Native Americans. He fought against the Creek Indians during the war of 1812.9 He did not believe that Native Americans were civilized enough to remain among the white settlers, even though many Cherokee tribes had assimilated into white culture.10 Although President Jackson was not the architect of the Indian relocation act, he was a long time believer in the relocation of Native Americans.11 The passing of President Jackson’s plan would not only affect the Cherokee, but at least five major tribes throughout the United States. In his first State of the Union Address in 1812, President Jackson presented his plan for Indian “removal” and encouraged Congress to legalize his plan through legislation.12 President Jackson’s stance on Indian removal was that it would not only protect them from white influence, but that the move would ultimately be beneficial to the Indians by preserving their cultures.13 In Fact, President Jackson felt that his plan for relocation was very generous to