Why Andrew Jackson Won The Trail Of Tears

Jackson declared his first statement of removal on December 8, 1829. His motivation behind this was to persuade Congress to pass the act to start his plan to remove all Indians from the white pioneers desired territory. In this, he addressed that the movement of Indians from this land must only be by their own personal choice because, “it would be as cruel as unjust to compel the aborigines to abandon the graves of their fathers, and seek a home in a distant land”. Although, Jackson’s own draft of of his 1829 message to congress contains no reference to voluntary removal, this would not be the first time he lied to the Native Americans. The Jackson administration concluded that the treaties that Jackson previously made with the Indians were merely “a stately form of intercourse” that were most useful in gaining their agreement without opposition. These treaties mainly entailed regulations on peacemaking and the ownership of land. While they were viewed as vital to the indians, but to Jackson and his colleagues they were nothing more than meaningless documents. He only created these treaties to trick the Indians into thinking they have power in the United States government just so that he can later manipulate them into

The “Trail of Tears,” was an unmitigated disaster-at least for the Native American Tribes involved. – (Page 269) “As the population grew, white citizens demanded that their governments, at both the state and national levels, do something about the Native American tribes in their midst who held claims to land …” – (Page 249) “The United States had recognized the Cherokee as a nation in a number of treaties, and in 1827 delegates of this tribe initiated action to draft a constitution that would more formally recognize this status.” – (Page 249). This caused a problem with the constitution, because new states could not be established in pre-existing state. “Georgia, where most of the Cherokee lived, opposed the plan and called for the removal of all Native American.” – (Page 249). In fact, the Cherokee nation fought back. “The case reached the United States Supreme Court, Cherokee Nation v. Georgia.” – (Page 250). The Cherokee lost; but a year later Chief Justice John Marshall “ruled that the state had no right to extend sovereignty over the Cherokee within its borders.” Andrew Jackson disagreed with the chief justice, and wanted for the chief justice to enforce his decision.

Jackson mistreated and harmed the Native Americans which was oppressive and undemocratic. In Andrew Jackson’s message to Congress, he lied when he stated that, “This emigration should be voluntary… (but) if they remain within the limits of the states they must be subject to their laws,” (Doc 8). The Native Americans had adapted and begun to resemble a civilized society with town meetings, public education, and an alphabet. Less than six months later, Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act and would soon take military force to push the Native Americans west into a reserved territory for them in what is present day Oklahoma (Doc 10). It was very undemocratic of Jackson to lie to the Native Americans and oppress them by forcefully moving them to the reserved Indian Territory. The Cherokee however, did not give up easily and took their case to the U.S. Supreme Court. Their plea to remain on the land of their ancestors without interruption was upheld and clarified that the Cherokee had the right to establish their own nation within the state of Georgia (Doc 9). Jackson ignored the ruling of the Supreme Court and ultimately

This first hand account by John G Burnett, a member of the 2nd Regiment, 2nd Brigade, Mounted Infantry, was written in 1890 as a letter to his children and paints a descriptive picture of the brutality of the Trail of Tears (“Two Accounts of the Trail of Tears”). The Trail of Tears was a tragic event, but was unavoidable due to the circumstances of the time. Many factors preceding the Trail of Tears have been proven to be catalyst for the tragic event. The Trail of Tears was when the United States Army forced the Cherokee indians from their home and made them move west of the Mississippi. There were people who were for the Trail of Tears and those who were not. Some factors which made the Trail of Tears inevitable were the growing population of America, the attitude of Americans toward natives, and the president of the time.

The Trail of Tears was a testament to the cruelty and disrespect we showed toward the Native Americans. This paper will show how the United States used its legislative power and brute force to remove the Indian tribes. From the election of Andrew Jackson, and the implementation of the Indian Removal Act. The Creeks, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Seminole and their actions against the removal process. Finally, how the Cherokee used the legal process to fight evacuation of their nation.

The Trail of Tears was a route that the Cherokee Indians had to travel on when they were forcibly removed from their homes in the southern Appalachian Mountains. They were made to travel miles and miles away from their homes, so the residents of Georgia could begin looking for gold. All of this began because in 1829 when someone found gold on Cherokee land. The Cherokee were going to be forced out of their homes so they decided to take their case to court. The case went all the way up to the supreme court and was then voted on in the Cherokee's favor, but President Andrew Jackson went against the courts ruling and allowed the Cherokee to be removed from their homes. The Trail of Tears is a terrible route where over 2,000 Cherokee lives were lost, and many became sick and injured. Even though the Cherokee had the rights to the land and they even had their own constitution, still Jackson ignored this and allowed them to be removed. This was a terrible time in American history because it showed how malicious one of our presidents was in allowing these peaceful Indians to be taken away from their homes, just so we could find some gold.

The Trail of Tears was the trail that killed scads Cherokee Indians. They were the one of the five most civilized tribes to be moved from their homeland. They were moved only by the reason of the greedy white settlers that wanted more land. Beside the point, little did they know on this long trail that thousands of their people would die? It would be the biggest life change in the Cherokee Nation, though 1,000 Native Americans seemed to escape, they were multitudes that died by cause of of the cold along with starving condition.

But in 1829, Jackson said to Congress that if a state chose to advance it’s power and legislation on the indians that the federal government wasn't required to restrict it. So when the state chose to discontinue certain treaties, Secretary of War Eaton explained in the place of president Jackson to the natives that any of the assurances in the negotiations with the U.S. were nothing more than temporary grants from one power-the United States- to a weaker nation- the Cherokees. Therefore, he declared, there were no certainties in any arrangement that could be considered permanent. This led Jackson to eventually disregarded a key section of the removal act but he also but broke a number of federal treaty commitments to the Indians; some of which he personally negotiated(Cave, 215-216). The Indians thought that the documents that they were signing would actually protect them, but Jackson thought the only way to make his twisted dream come to pass was to make a sense of false security to a group of people who had done nothing to be

Andrew Jackson was the 7th president from 1829 –1837. Some people thought he was a terrible president, but others thought he was great. Andrew Jackson was a villain because he abused his power, caused the Trail of Tears, and owned slave. This is the reason Andrew Jackson was a bad president. Andrew Jackson was a villain because he abused his power.

As Southerners expanded west into the land of the Cherokees, Creeks, Choctaw, and other Indian nations the United States overlooked and abused the Indians. The Federal Government decided to force them out of their land, making the land available for white settlements. Andrew Jackson played an important role in the Indian removal. He had a complicated relationship with the Indians due to the controversial issues on the Indian Removal Act.Consin Jackson forced Congress to pass this act since he believed that it would not only benefit the Indians as well as America. The Indians, as well as others, disagree with the government's thoughts and beliefs, however, most had no say in the ruling of this Act. The passing of this act brought conserved throughout the entire country, as some Americans believed the Natives were subject to these new state legislatures while others believed the

According to that same document “ State of the Union Speech” Andrew Jackson said that “why would a civilized good man want to live in a country covered with forest and filled with thousand of “savages” instead of the great republic they built filled with cities,towns and happy health people.” This suggests that Andrew Jackson thought that the way the Native Americans had the United States land before was not as great as his founding fathers made it and by keep the Native Americans around they might turn their perfectly good land to what they had before which for Jackson that would be the worst thing to happen. Also According to “Memorial of the Cherokee Nation” the Cherokee said that “they wish to remain on their land the land that their father build for them.” They have a perfect and original right to remain without

The Indian Removal act was strongly supported in the south because they want the Indian lands because they found gold in them. Also, the Americans believed in manifest destiny; which is that we the people can use the land or thing better than you so I am going to take. As Jackson said, “I suggest, for your consideration the property of setting apart an ample district west of the Mississippi…” (Jackson document #1). The way that Jackson said those words, it sounded as if he was asking if they want to go and it was optional, but in the real world, the Indians that didn’t leave peacefully had to leave forcefully. The U.S Government thought that the movement was easy and simple, but it actually was devastating and horrific. The movement of those southern tribes resulted in the Trail of Tears and the death of many Indians because the soldiers were taking all the resources sent from the U.S and keeping it for themselves. Even though some people started blaming Jackson for the act he created it wasn’t his fault, because Jackson always believed in majority rule. So before he voted yes on the act he asked the people and the majority of those people said yes so Jackson voted yes on the act. Even though it as only one act it resulted in a huge impact on all

One of Jackson’s most important priorities during his presidency was to build relationships with Indian tribes that lived within the borders of the United States. Jackson moved very quickly and decisively when making importing decisions. Jackson did not hate the Indians as a race, but did feel like they were lower on the social status than whites. He felt that he had the power to move the Indians out of the way toward the west. The southwest tribes included the Cherokees, Chickasaws, Choctaws, and Creeks. The Indian Removal Act was passed on May 28, 1830 and allowed President Jackson to grant unsettled land west of the Mississippi in return for Indian land. Though a few tribes went peacefully, most rebelled and did not go without a fight. Jackson removed indians from their native land to the west where they were unfamiliar with the landscape, had no settlements, and were unaware of the food sources in the new area they were forced to settle. More indian tribes would have fought back if the power of the American militia was not overpowering to the natives small

The Indian Removal Act stands as one of the greatest mistreatments of the Native population in American history. Jackson supported the Indian Removal Act because he wanted to see Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi settled by white Southerners. He thought they would make better use of the land and help strengthen the Southern border of the United States with large plantations.for example “In 1830, just a year after taking office, Jackson pushed a new piece of legislation called the "Indian Removal Act" through both houses of Congress. It gave the president power to negotiate removal treaties with Indian tribes living east of the Mississippi. Under these treaties, the Indians were to give up their lands east of the Mississippi in exchange for lands to the west”. moreover, Jackson even ignored a Supreme Court decision which had been made on the side of Indians against the state of Georgia. By passing and affecting The Indian Removal Act the homelands of many Native-American tribes were swiftly and brutally vacated. In Particular, the eviction of the Cherokee tribe to “Indian territory” was so vicious, it earned the nickname “trail of tears.” This single congressional act destroyed the lives of many people, an uncommon consequence for an act of the American government.

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.