unit 2: colonization lesson 7 andrew jackson, the indian removal act, and the trail of tears...
TRANSCRIPT
Unit 2: ColonizationLesson 7
Andrew Jackson, the Indian Removal Act, and the Trail of Tears
1820-1842
Native Americans in the Southeast In the 1820’s, many Native Americans still lived
East of the Mississippi RiverCherokeeChicksawChoctawCreekSeminole
The Cherokee Nation
Lived in Mountains of NC and Georgia Created their own written language Published their own newspaper Wrote their own Constitution based on the U.S.
Constitution
The Removal of the Cherokee
1828 gold is discovered on Cherokee land White settlers wanted the land U.S. Government discusses removing the
Cherokee
Andrew Jackson
1829 Andrew Jackson is elected President Jackson supports removing all Native Americans Georgia passes laws that allow whites to take
Native American lands Jackson supports these laws too
Indian Removal Act
Jackson asks Congress to pass a law that removes the Native Americans
After debate and discussion, Congress passes the Indian Removal Act in 1830
This law forces all Native Americans to move West of the Mississippi River
Trail of Tears Many Cherokee refused to leave their homes U.S. Army forces 16,000 Cherokee into outdoor
prisons in 1838 During fall and winter of 1838-1839, Cherokee are
forced to walk West to Indian Reservations This walk was close to 800 miles 4000 Cherokees died from freezing, starvation,
sickness
How could this happen?
Greed (gold is discovered) Andrew Jackson and U.S. government want to
expand the U.S. Racism:? Would white settlers have been treated
like this in the same situation?
Some Cherokee Resisted
Some fought U.S. soldiers Some hid in Smokey Mountains in NC Led by Tsali Tsali surrendered in return for the safety of his
people Ancestors of Tsali and Cherokee who remained
still live in NC mountains