Jackson’s Policy Toward Native Americans Chapter 12, section 2

Sequoya a brilliant Cherokee who tried to “teach the Cherokees to talk on paper like the white man.” invented a writing system for the Cherokee language had never learned to read or write in another language created characters to stand for the syllables in the Cherokee language Cherokees soon learned to read and write – they even published a newspaper and books in the Cherokee language hoped that by gaining literacy the Cherokees could share the power of whites and keep their independence it didn’t work

Native Americans in the Southeast Since the pilgrims in the 1600s, white settlers pushed Native Americans westward as they took their land. many Native Americans still in the East in the early 1800s some whites hoped N.A.s would adapt to the white people’s way of life some whites wanted N.A.s to move thought it was the only way to avoid conflict over land felt Native Americans were “uncivilized” and did not want to live near them

Native Americans in the Southeast by the 1820s, about 100,000 N.A. lived east of the Mississippi River most in the Southeast major tribes – the Five Civilized Tribes Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Seminole had adopted many aspects of white culture in Georgia, the Carolinas, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee

The Cherokee Nation had adopted white customs dressed like whites farmed and owned cattle ranches some had slaves had a written language published the Cherokee Phoenix, their own newspaper children attended mission schools wrote a constitution based on the US Constitution

The Cherokee Nation gold was discovered on Cherokee land in Georgia both settlers and miners wanted the land demand increased to remove the Cherokees the federal government decided to move all Native Americans from the Southeast

Jackson’s Removal Policy long supported a policy of moving Native Americans West had made treaties with Native American tribes after the War of 1812 to gain land for the US believed the government had the right to regulate where Native Americans could live viewed NAs as conquered subjects who lived in the United States felt NAs had two choices could adopt white culture and become citizens of the United States move into the Western territories their own government within US borders was NOT and option

Jackson’s Removal Policy gold is discovered whites moved onto Cherokee lands Georgia and other states passed laws giving them the right to take N.A. lands tribes protested Jackson supported the states

Jackson’s Removal Policy asked congress to pass a law requiring native Americans to move west or submit to state laws many Americans objected Congress passed the Indian Removal Act of 1830 gov’t would negotiate treaties requiring Native Americans to move west Jackson quickly acted to enforce it claimed it would allow Native Americans to keep their way of life actually it caused hardship and forever changed relations between whites and NAs

The Trail of Tears Native Americans saw no choice but to sign treaties exchanging their land for land in the west moved to Indian Territory – now Oklahoma and parts of Kansas and Nebraska in 1831 the Choktaw and other Southeast tribes were relocated west

The Trail of Tears Cherokees appealed to the Supreme Court to protect their land from being seized by Georgia the court ruled that only the federal government, not the states, could make laws governing the Cherokees this meant Georgia laws did not apply to the Cherokee Georgia and Jackson ignored the Supreme Court Jackson quoted as saying , “John Marshall has made his decision… Now let him enforce it.” some Cherokee gave up and signed a treaty to move west, most opposed it Jackson refused to negotiate with those in opposition

The Trail of Tears 1838 federal troop rounded up 16,000 Cherokees and forced them into camps some forced from their homes with nothing but the clothes they were wearing over the fall and winter of 1838-1839 they made the journey west cold, rain, and snow inadequate clothing many became ill ¼ died

Native American Resistance some Cherokees avoided moving west in 1838 hid in the Smokey Mountains the sacrifice of a man name Tsali and his family allowed them to stay

Native American Resistance In 1835 the Seminoles refused to leave Florida caused the Second Seminole War Osceola was an important leader he and his band hid in the Everglades used surprise attacks to defeat the US Army in many battles tricked into capture when he came to peace talks died in prison the fight continued some moved deeper into the Everglades where their descendents live today some moved west

Native American Resistance some tribes north of the Ohio River resisted relocation had been relocated Black Hawk, a Sauk chief, led a band of Sauk and Fox back to their land in Illinois the US Army crushed the uprising