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Native Americans vs. Andrew Jackson. Native Americans in the Southeast. Americans had different views as to what should happen to the Native Americans in the East. Some hoped that they could adapt to the white people’s way of life.
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Native Americans in the Southeast • Americans had different views as to what should happen to the Native Americans in the East. • Some hoped that they could adapt to the white people’s way of life. • Others wanted them to move, to avoid conflict over land. They also saw them as “uncivillized” and didn’t want to live near them. • 1820’s about 100,000 Nat. Am. remained east of the Mississippi, mostly in the southeast. • Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole. Whites called them the “Five Civilized Tribes.” They lived in GA, Carolinas, MI, and TN.
Cherokee Nation • They adopted many white customs including the white’s way of dressing. • They owned prosperous farms and cattle ranches. Some even owned slaves. • Sequoya invented a writing system for their language. It was easily learned and many learned to read and write. They even published their own Newspaper – Cherokee Phoenix. • 1827 They founded the Cherokee Nation and drew up their own constitution based on the U.S. Constitution. • Gold was discovered a year later in Georgia. Now not only settlers wanted their land, but so did miners. • The federal government responded with a plan to remove all Native Americans from the Southeast.
Jackson’s Removal Policy He had long supported a policy of moving N.A. west of the Mississippi River. He first dealt with N.A. after War of 1812 when he was acting as Indian Treaty Commissioner. He forced treaties with various tribes that gave the govt. large tracts of land. He viewed N.A. as conquered subjects who lived within the borders of the U.S. They had two choices: adopt white culture and become citizens or move west. They couldn’t have their own govt. within our border.
Discovery of Gold • States began passing laws that gave the settlers and miners the right to take over N.A. lands. • The N.A. protested and Jackson took the side of the states. • Jackson proposed a law to Congress requiring N.A. to move west or submit to state laws. • There were some groups who disagreed, Edward Everett a MA congressman, the Quakers, and other religious groups. • Congress passed the Indian Removal Act in 1830. The act called for the govt. to negotiate treaties that would require N.A. to relocate west.
Trail of Tears • Under the treaties Native Americans would be moved to an area that is now Oklahoma and parts of Kansas and Nebraska. This area became known as Indian Territory. • In 1831, the Choctaw and other Southeast tribes were removed from their lands and relocated to Indian Territory. • The Cherokees appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to protect their land from being seized by GA. In 1832, the court led by Chief Justice John Marshall ruled that only the federal govt., not the states, could make laws governing the Cherokees. • GA and Andrew Jackson ignored the Supreme Court. Jackson said, “John Marshall has made his decision ….Now let him enforce it.” • A small group of Cherokees gave up and signed a treaty to move west. But the majority refused. They were led by John Ross. Jackson refused to negotiate with them. • In 1838, federal troops commanded by General Winfield Scott rounded up about 16,000 Cherokees and forced them into camps. Soldiers took the people from their homes with nothing but the clothes on their back. In the fall and winter of 1838-1839 they marched the N.A. westward. Forced to march in the cold, rain and snow without adequate clothing. Many grew weak and ill. 25% died. • This trek became known as the Trail of Tears.
Native American Resistance • Tsali and his family fought the soldiers and escaped to the Great Smoky Mtns in N.C. They found other Cherokees there. The U.S. Army sent a message that if they surrendered, the other Cherokees could stay in their homeland. • In 1835 the Seminoles refused to leave Florida. This led the Second Seminole War. Osceola was an important leader. He surprised the U.S. Army in many battles. He was tricked into capture when he came to peace talks during a truce. He died in prison. They continued fighting however. The war ended in 1842. • Other tribes north of the Ohio River also resisted relocation – the Shawnee, Ottawa, Potawatomi, Sauk and Fox. • In 1832 A Sauk chief named Black Hawk led a band of Sauk and Fox back to their lands in Illinois. In the Black Hawk War the Illinois militia and the U.S. Army crushed the uprising.
