Embedded Files
NATIVE AMERICAN MOVEMENT 1830-1842
NATIVE AMERICAN MOVEMENT 1830-1842
At the beginning of the 1830s, nearly 125,000 Native Americans lived on millions of acres of land in Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina and Florida–land their ancestors had occupied and cultivated for generations. In the past the solution to the “Indian problem” was to civilize them by having them learn to speak, read, and write English and adopt western culture such as land ownership and even slave ownership (these tribes became known as the “Five Civilized Tribes”).
At the beginning of the 1830s, nearly 125,000 Native Americans lived on millions of acres of land in Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina and Florida–land their ancestors had occupied and cultivated for generations. In the past the solution to the “Indian problem” was to civilize them by having them learn to speak, read, and write English and adopt western culture such as land ownership and even slave ownership (these tribes became known as the “Five Civilized Tribes”).
But eventually White settlers wanted to grow cotton on the Indians’ land as well as gold had been discovered. However the Supreme Court had ruled in cases that this land was Indian land and they could not be forced to leave. Yet President Andrew Jackson ignored these rulings and passed in 1830 signed the Indian Removal Act, which gave the federal government the power to exchange Native-held land for land in “Indian territory” present-day Oklahoma.
But eventually White settlers wanted to grow cotton on the Indians’ land as well as gold had been discovered. However the Supreme Court had ruled in cases that this land was Indian land and they could not be forced to leave. Yet President Andrew Jackson ignored these rulings and passed in 1830 signed the Indian Removal Act, which gave the federal government the power to exchange Native-held land for land in “Indian territory” present-day Oklahoma.
President Jackson and his government ignored the law that made forced removal illegal and made Native Americans to vacate lands they had lived on for generations. So at bayonet point with their homes and belongings being looted the U.S. government made them walk thousands of miles to a specially designated “Indian territory” suffering Whooping cough, typhus, dysentery, cholera and starvation along the way. This difficult and sometimes deadly journey is known as the Trail of Tears and thousands of Indians would die.
President Jackson and his government ignored the law that made forced removal illegal and made Native Americans to vacate lands they had lived on for generations. So at bayonet point with their homes and belongings being looted the U.S. government made them walk thousands of miles to a specially designated “Indian territory” suffering Whooping cough, typhus, dysentery, cholera and starvation along the way. This difficult and sometimes deadly journey is known as the Trail of Tears and thousands of Indians would die.
Page updated
Report abuse