Indian Removal And the Trail of Tears

Goals for Today

Today we will understand:

The different perspectives about Indian Removal

How & why the Cherokees were removed from their land

We will discuss whether your textbook should call this event “Indian Relocation” or “The Trail of Tears”

Indian Removal ActPresident Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act (1830) into law

Goal: Remove Native Americans from land to make way for white settlers

Predict: How do you think Jackson justified this?

Read Document A

How does he describe Indian Removal?

What does he compare the fate of Native Americans to? Is this a fair comparison?

How does he describe the benefits? What’s left out?

Read Doc B: Cherokee Response

1. Does this author agree that Indian Removal would be kind?

2. What do they think of the western land they’ve been given?

3. What two quotes are particularly compelling?

Supreme Court Case

Case of Worcester v. Georgia

Supreme Court Justice John Marshall’s Decision

The Decision

The federal government had to keep white intruders off Indian lands White settlers could only take this land if Native Americans agreed to sell it

Document C

The Cherokee Nation is a distinct community, occupying its own territory, with boundaries accurately…the citizens of Georgia have no right to enter but with the assent [permission] of the Cherokees themselves or in conformity with treaties and with the acts of Congress.

The act of the State of Georgia [to remove Indians] is consequently void [invalid]. . . . The Acts of Georgia are repugnant [disgusting] to the Constitution, laws, and treaties of the United States.

The forcible seizure and abduction of the plaintiff, who was residing in the nation with its permission, and by authority of the President of the United States, is also a violation of the acts which authorize the chief [of the Native Americans] to exercise this authority.

Source: Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall in the case of Worcester v. Georgia (1832)

Response:

President Jackson’s response to the Supreme Court case:

“John Marshall has made his decision; now let him enforce it.”

A New Attempt

In 1835, federal representatives gave a new treaty to a small group of Cherokees

20 men, none of them elected officials of the tribe, signed the treaty

The treaty gave up all Cherokee territory east of the Mississippi to the U.S. in exchange for $5 million and new homelands in Indian Territory

Document D

In December 1835, the U.S. resubmitted the treaty to a small group of Cherokees at New Echota. One member of the Cherokee tribe, Major Ridge, spoke of his reasons for supporting the treaty:

“I am one of the native sons of these wild woods. I have hunted the deer and turkey here, more than fifty years. The Georgians have shown a grasping spirit lately; they have extended their laws, which harass our braves and make the children suffer and cry.

I know the Indians have an older title than theirs. We obtained the land from the living God above. They got their title from the British. Yet they are strong and we are weak. We are few, they are many. We cannot remain here in safety and comfort. I know we love the graves of our fathers. We can never forget these homes, but an unbending, iron necessity tells us we must leave them. I would willingly die to preserve [our land], but any forcible effort to keep them will cost us our lands, our lives and the lives of our children. There is but one path of safety, one road to future existence as a Nation. That path is open before you. Make a treaty of cession. Give up these lands and go over beyond the great Father of Waters.”

Twenty men, none of them elected officials of the tribe, signed the treaty, ceding [giving up] all Cherokee territory east of the Mississippi to the U.S. in exchange for $5 million and new homelands in Indian Territory. Major Ridge is reported to have said that he was signing his own death warrant.

Forced OutAs a result, Native Americans were forced out of their lands

Starting in 1831, Native Americans were forced to march the “Trail of Tears” westward

The Trail of Tears

Watch the clip and answer the questions

Oklahoma, 1890

Oklahoma, 1900

Oklahoma, 2003