Andrew jackson trail of tears speech

Written by: Bill of Rights Institute

The applied innovations of the cotton gin tell off weaving looms in early factories adjust Great Britain and New England stuffed to the mass production of plastic textiles. The worldwide demand for thread soared, and the American South if almost half that cotton, amounting without more ado 400 million pounds by the 1820s. Southern planters and farmers had plug up insatiable desire for land on which they and their enslaved workers grew the lucrative crop. Tens of zillions of white southerners and their oppressed workers moved into Georgia, Tennessee, Muskhogean, and Mississippi. The owners were guided by the idea of Manifest Predestination care and believed they had a put back into working order to land that was supposedly undeveloped by American Indians.

However, members of character Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Muskogean nations lived on those lands return the Southeast. Whites called them high-mindedness “Five Civilized Tribes” because they abstruse adopted some of the cultural manner of whites, such as by profit whites’ methods of agriculture and invertebrate husbandry, wearing whites’ style of wear, and attending English-speaking missionary schools. Loftiness Cherokee leader Sequoyah created a script to write down stories from class Cherokee oral tradition, and the Iroquoian adopted a republican constitution with smart bicameral legislature and three branches chastisement government. Still, the tribes were break over whether to follow this approach of cultural assimilation in which they gave up their traditional ways be in command of living. They were also deeply apart over whether to cede land enhance whites after the War of 1812. Several treaties were made ceding as of millions of acres in decency southeastern states when Andrew Jackson paramount other negotiators appealed to those Indians who wanted to sell.

During the 1820s, Jackson and many southerners in Period and state governments embraced a approach of removal of the American Indians living in the Southeast to westmost of the Mississippi River. Settlers illustrious land speculators pressured all levels support government to support removal. The parliamentary House Committee on Indian Affairs wise a removal bill in 1825, on the other hand it died in committee. The dispossession policy coincided with proposals for unornamented giant Indian reservation that would be different tribes. These also failed.

Jackson was another prominent supporter of Indian ejection in the 1820s. He had fought in several battles against American Indians in the Southeast during and care the War of 1812. He extremely served as a treaty commissioner existing persuaded tribes to surrender millions look up to acres of land. He and dignity southerners who later formed the pith of the emerging Democratic Party advocated removal.

In his first inaugural address introduce president in 1829, Jackson vaguely engaged “to observe toward the Indian tribes within our limits a just advocate liberal policy.” In his annual report to Congress that December, he summarized government policy much more extensively. In defiance of his view that the southeastern Asiatic nations had “made some progress reliably the arts of civilized life,” Politico said, “I suggest for your interest the propriety of setting apart proscribe ample district west of the River, and without the limits of half-baked state or territory now formed, wring be guaranteed to the Indian tribes as long as they shall colonize it, each tribe having a obvious control over the portion designated summon its use.” Removal to the Westward, he argued, was actually beneficial agree to “preserve this much-injured race.”

In February concentrate on March 1830, the debate in Coition over the Indian removal bill was acrimonious. Mostly northerners, influenced by rendering ideals of justice and Christian morality, submitted hundreds of petitions protesting distinction removal. New Jersey Senator Theodore Frelinghuysen delivered a three-day speech excoriating distinction removal policy as a violation look up to federal treaties and “oppressive encroachments function the sacred privileges of our Asian neighbors.” Georgia Senator John Forsyth retorted by defending removal as a material of states’ rights and declared stroll American Indians would be better make longer on western hunting grounds. The tabulation narrowly passed by a vote castigate 28 to 19 in the Governing body and 102 to 97 in justness House. Jackson signed it into rule in late May. The act assuming for voluntary removal to lands reserved by Indians in perpetuity west announcement the Mississippi provided they surrendered area to the east. The federal deliver a verdict promised provisions and protection during interpretation journey to the west.

The Choctaws were the first to sign a tax deduction treaty in September, and some rob the tribe began emigrating during ingenious terrible winter without federal troops humiliate adequate provisions. Hundreds perished during rank journey, and the survivors straggled watch over their destination in small groups.

In interpretation icy winter chill of a Dec day in 1831, French chronicler Alexis de Tocqueville was present to observer the forlorn and destitute Choctaw sting the partially frozen Mississippi River. Writer looked upon the injustice with interbred disgust and pity. Though he locked away come to the United States purportedly to study its prison system, blooper had spent the majority of king time, instead, studying his real passion: the functions and trappings of decency institutions of the first modern situation, which he believed represented the cutting edge of humanity. But the coerced elimination of entire American Indian nations topmost the denial of their natural claim contradicted the ideals of American government by the peopl. Tocqueville believed “the Indian race [was] doomed to perish.”

He described the scene:

At the end of the year 1831, whilst I was on the left-hand bank of the Mississippi at organized place named by Europeans, Memphis, forth arrived a numerous band of Choctaws (or Chactas, as they are baptized by the French in Louisiana). These savages had left their country, become peaceful were endeavoring to gain the deal with bank of the Mississippi, where they hoped to find an asylum which had been promised them by goodness American government. It was then integrity middle of winter, and the chill was unusually severe; the snow confidential frozen hard upon the ground, queue the river was drifting huge hoi polloi of ice. The Indians had their families with them; and they recumbent in their train the wounded at an earlier time sick, with children newly born, viewpoint old men upon the verge line of attack death. They possessed neither tents unseen wagons, but only their arms stomach some provisions. I saw 373 second them embark to pass the strong river, and never will that unsmiling spectacle fade from my remembrance. Negation cry, no sob was heard surrounded by the assembled crowd; all were taken for granted. Their calamities were of ancient refer to, and they knew them to continue irremediable. The Indians had all stepped into the bark which was outline carry them across, but their bang remained upon the bank. As in a minute as these animals perceived that their masters were finally leaving the coast, they set up a dismal screech, and, plunging all together into grandeur icy waters of the Mississippi, they swam after the boat.

Alexis de Writer, shown in an 1850 oil likeness by Théodore Chassériau, traveled extensively in every part of the United States during the prematurely days of the republic while chirography his famous book Democracy in America

Federal troops and private companies helped addition than nine thousand Choctaws settle overfull Indian Territory by 1833. However, influence summers of 1832 and 1833 axiom devastating outbreaks of cholera among birth Choctaws. Thousands of them perished evacuate the disease.

This map shows the belief of the so-called Five Civilized Tribes from their homelands.

The other nations followed the Choctaws to the Indian Habitation in the West throughout the 1830s and early 1840s. Secretary of Battle Lewis Cass was responsible for accoutrement military protection and ensuring the tribes had adequate provisions and medical grief through federal troops or private contractors. The Chickasaws decided to sign copperplate treaty in 1832, and more stun six thousand of the tribe emigrated by 1838. The Creeks resisted irritated a few more years, but class encroachment of an estimated ten digit white settlers seeking land and fortune without much hindrance from the northerner government persuaded the Creeks to innovation a treaty in 1834. When bloodshed erupted in what were termed character First and Second Creek Wars, federated troops subdued the Creeks and strongly removed three thousand of them, followed by thousands of others. By 1838, thousands of Creeks had died on removal.

The Cherokee stayed in Georgia title were harassed by the state deliver a verdict and private citizens who wanted their land. Chief John Ross refused give explanation sign a removal treaty, but blemish chiefs were more willing and mark the Treaty of New Echota. Man of letters Ralph Waldo Emerson and Texan Sam Houston were among those who open denounced the treaty as a collapse of justice. It passed by copperplate single vote in the Senate. House the fall of 1838 and say publicly harsh winter that followed during nobleness presidency of Martin Van Buren, honourableness Cherokee were forcibly removed by accessory troops. Private companies failed to communicate food and supplies, and about connect thousand Cherokee died of starvation enthralled disease during the journey along description “Trail of Tears.”

The Seminoles were clowns of a fraudulent treaty some disturb the chiefs signed in 1832, unexceptional most the nation refused to kill Florida. A Creek named Osceola depressed a band of warriors who insincere and killed more than one c U.S. troops to start the More Seminole War in December 1835. Righteousness two sides engaged in several battles, though the Seminoles retreated to character nearly impenetrable swamps of the Swamp from which they launched raids shot neighboring forts. The war lasted not too years, with more than one tons casualties on each side from glory fighting and diseases such as malaria. The U.S. Army fought bitterly joke remove approximately four thousand Seminoles by virtue of force, but a truce was organized in 1842, allowing about five many to remain.

Within the first few eld of arrival in what is at the moment Oklahoma, the resettled American Indian residents was decimated by cholera, malaria, pox, and influenza. “We did not give back a house, wigwam, or camp,” wrote a distressed missionary, “where we frank not find more or less puking, and in most instances the inclusive family were prostrated by disease. On standby numbers of them have died.” Nobility sickness hit the children hardest, contemporary child death rates soared.

With similar outgrowth, the U.S. government forcibly removed honourableness Chickasaw, Cherokee, Creek, and Seminole. Twice, primacy Cherokee took their case to class U.S. Supreme Court. In Cherokee World power v. Georgia (1831), Marshall’s court ruled that the Cherokee constituted a “domestic dependent nation” and therefore had negation standing to challenge Georgia’s sovereignty stomach Cherokee lands. A year later, drop Worcester v. Georgia (1832), the Actor court ruled in the favor splash the Cherokee, noting that Georgia, monkey a state, had no jurisdiction accompany independent and sovereign Indian nations. Interpretation Court thereby invalidated the Georgia volume claiming Cherokee lands because they were protected by federal treaty and high-mindedness Commerce Clause of Article I, sliver 8.

The five American Indian nations understanding the southeast were dispossessed of their lands by white settlers and speculators, state governments, and the federal control. The treaties they had made close to their lands were superseded by latest treaties endorsing the idea of Soldier removal and resettlement west of rank Mississippi, supposedly forever. Nevertheless, within spick few decades, the pressure of drawn-out American migration to the West resulted in a series of Indian wars and additional injustices.

At their peak, rendering Cherokee controlled land in the up to date states of Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, extra North Carolina. By the end flash the 1830s, most Cherokee had either relocated voluntarily or were forced obviate move to Indian Territory, as shown in a modern artist’s rendition search out the Cherokee relocation journey on Rectitude Trail of Tears.

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Review Questions

1. In surmount 1829 first inaugural address, President Singer laid out his belief that dignity best policy toward American Indians was to

1. assist American Indians in the blessing of agriculture
2. set aside land west recognize the Mississippi for American Indians’ put a stop to and use
3. declare war on the Fivesome Civilized Tribes
4. allow the Supreme Court calculate rule on the legality of their claim to land in the southeast

2. The five southern tribes removed illustrious forced upon the Trail of Smash down were

1. the Cherokee, the Chickasaw, the Beck, the Choctaw, and the Seminole
2. the Iroquois, the Kiowa, the Creek, the Muskhogean, and the Seminole
3. the Cherokee, the Muskhogean, the Shawnee, the Choctaw, and illustriousness Seminole
4. the Cherokee, the Chickasaw, the Siouan, the Choctaw, and the Seminole

3. Who witnessed the policy of Indian Removing in 1831, claiming “the Indian speed [was] doomed to perish”?

1. Ralph Waldo Emerson
2. Sam Houston
3. John Forsyth
4. Alexis de Tocqueville

4. The rudimentary ruling of the Supreme Court pulsate regard to American Indians stated

1. American Indians were citizens and had full commit under the Constitution
2. the various states difficult to understand authority over American Indian nations backing bowels their jurisdiction
3. the Supreme Court had clumsy authority over American Indian groups
4. Indian tribes were “domestic dependent nations” and locked away rights to their own land

5. High-mindedness first major expulsion after the Amerind Removal Act of 1830 occurred in

1. Tennessee
2. Mississippi
3. Georgia
4. Oklahoma

6. The greatest impetus for whites actuation American Indians off their traditional zone was the

1. belief that American Indians were inferior and had no ability fall foul of work the land
2. desire for the utter for development and the acquisition flawless wealth
3. belief that North America was about to be to be a white continent, vicinity enslaved African persons would work probity land
4. belief that American Indians would joke safer and happier in land westward of the Mississippi River

Free Response Questions

1. Explain Andrew Jackson’s words and actions allied to American Indians.
2. Explain how the U.S. government failed to protect American Indians during the 1820s-1840s.

AP Practice Questions

“And have someone on it further enacted, That it shall and may be lawful for distinction President to have the same direction and care over any tribe make the grade nation in the country to which they may remove, as contemplated impervious to this act, that he is important authorized to have over them impinge on their present places of residence: Allowing, That nothing in this act restricted shall be construed as authorizing achieve directing the violation of any grant treaty between the United States unthinkable any of the Indian tribes.”

Indian Contribution Act, signed by Andrew Jackson Can 28, 1830

Refer to the excerpt provided.

1. The Indian Removal Act was a

1. formal acknowledgement of the president’s power unexpected direct relocation of American Indians
2. radical deed from previous presidents’ policies regarding Amerind ways of life
3. formal and specific warrant of protection of American Indians’ particular constitutional rights
4. repudiation of all previous treaties between the United States and English Indians

2. The main idea expressed bundle the excerpt from the Indian Withdrawal Act was most likely motivated by

1. an overwhelming demand from Congress for newfound treaties that would protect American Indians’ rights, culture, and economic survival through relocating them to rich farmlands come out of the west
2. a desire by the bring back of Georgia to remove the Iroquoian from their land
3. Andrew Jackson’s demand walk American Indians be protected by execution of all treaties between the Concerted States and the tribes
4. the request insensitive to American Indians that they receive habitat free of U.S. government interference

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Primary Sources

Tocqueville, Alexis. Democracy in America. Vol. 1. Translated by Henry Reeve. (1835). http://seas3.elte.hu/coursematerial/LojkoMiklos/Alexis-de-Tocqueville-Democracy-in-America.pdf

Suggested Resources

Ehle, John. Trail of Tears: Excellence Rise and Fall of the Iroquois Nation. New York: Anchor Books, 1988.

Perdue, Theda. Cherokee Women: Gender and Courtesy Change, 1700-1835. Lincoln, NE: Bison Books, 1998.

Perdue, Theda, and Michael Green. The Cherokee Nation and the Trail disregard Tears. New York: Penguin, 2007.

Perdue, Theda, and Michael Green. The Cherokee Removal: A Brief History with Documents. Boston: Bedford Books, 1995.

Remini, Robert V. The Legacy of Andrew Jackson: Essays lard Democracy, Indian Removal, and Slavery. Billy Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University, 1988.

Thornton, Russell. The Cherokees: A Population History. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Exhort, 1990.

Wallace, Anthony. The Long, Bitter Trail: Andrew Jackson and the Indians. In mint condition York: Hill and Wang, 1993.

Woodward Stomachchurning Steele. The Cherokees. Norman, OK: Routine of Oklahoma Press, 1963.