Jackson’s Native American Policy Level 1 Jackson’s Native American Policy http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/andrewjackson

Vocabulary Assimilate: to bring in another culture’s way of life Unconstitutional: a law or decision that goes against the Constitution Reservation: land set aside for a Native American tribe

Essential Questions How did Jackson’s policies affect the political, economic, and social life of the nation? How was Jackson viewed by different groups of people?

Jackson’s Native American Policy Reflected the Frontier Attitude Indian Removal Act (1830): $500,000 for treaties to remove tribes west of the Mississippi Why did the Southern frontier (GA, MS, AL) want it? Expand cotton agriculture Gold rush in Northern GA Violent conflicts with tribes Most Americans didn’t know there was a difference in tribes and saw all Natives as violent savages. Resource: American the last best hope volume 1 by William J. Bennett

Jackson’s Native American Policy Reflected the Frontier Attitude The Men that Dared to Disagree “I’m going to Texas. Henry Clay, Kentucky, felt like the US should act as parents to the Native tribes. Davy Crockett, an Indian fighter and frontiersman, opposed Jackson’s policy and he was not elected back to Congress from Tennessee

Jackson’s Native American Policy Reflected Frontier Attitude Some Native Americans tried to stop their removal Sac and Fox Creek Choctaw Cherokee Seminoles

Jackson’s Native American Policy Reflected Frontier Attitude Sac (Sauc) and Fox tribes: Chief Black Hawk signed a treaty giving away their land for land in the west. The land was no good and they were starving. They went back to Illinois. Black Hawk War 1832 Illinois Militia outnumbered tribes but many were drunk; militia was chased 25 miles in what is now called “Stillman’s Run”. Sac and Fox tribes started to terrorize the frontier by burning farms and scalping settlers. 1,300 troops were sent and the tribes tried to surrender Militia and federal troops massacred about 500, including women and children, that were trying to retreat over the Mississippi River Resource: http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=638 Resource: America the last best hope volume one, by William J. Bennett Abraham Lincoln was part of the militia that came afterwards and helped to bury the dead. He was a captain. Chief Black Hawk

Jackson’s Native American Policy Reflected Frontier Attitude Choctaw: Chief Pushmataha wouldn’t take Jackson’s offer of land in the west because he knew it was no good. Jackson warned them that if they didn’t move west he would destroy their nation. 1831 Choctaw were the first tribe to walk the “Trail of Tears” Malnutrition, exposure and cholera killed many. Chief Pushmataha

Jackson’s Native American Policy Reflected Frontier Attitude Creek: Fought with armed conflicts Chief McIntosh sold Creek land for $200,000 and was killed by the Creeks 1836 Creeks walked the “Trail of Tears” About 3,500 died on the walk out of 15,000 Resource: http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-579

Jackson’s Native American Policy Reflected Frontier Attitude Cherokee: Chose to assimilate to the white way of life by: creating single family farms Sequoyah made the Cherokee alphabet (syllabary) Converted to Christianity Created a newspaper called the Cherokee Phoenix Adopted a constitution which gave them sovereignty over their land Created a legislature Printed bibles Resource: http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=638 Resource: America the last best hope volume one, by William J. Bennett Enrichment: give your students this link to watch at home about the Cherokee. It is over an hour long so it is not so good in school. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/weshallremain/the_films/episode_3_trailer What is assimilate? To bring in another culture’s way of life Sequoyah

Jackson’s Native American Policy Reflected Frontier Attitude The State of GA: Didn’t like the Cherokee living in GA without having to follow the laws of GA. Ended tribal rule and stated that the Cherokee were under GA’s rule Didn’t let whites work with the Cherokee Rev. Samuel Worcester brought it to the Supreme Court so that he could continue to work with the Cherokee in “Worcester vs. GA” Supreme Court Justice John Marshall sided with the Cherokee and ruled GA’s law unconstitutional. Jackson disagreed that tribes were independent nations and is said to have stated “John Marshall has made his decision. Now let him enforce it”. What is unconstitutional? A law or decision that goes against the Constitution John Marshall

Jackson’s Native American Policy Reflected Frontier Attitude The Cherokee didn’t leave because of the ruling of Worcester v. GA. Gold was found in Northern GA on Cherokee land which started the first US gold rush. Treaty of Echota: Signed by a minority of Cherokee Agreed to move west $5 million was given to them Chief John Ross protested to the US Senate not to accept it but they did. Most didn’t leave until 1838 when the army forced them About 4,000 out of 15,000 died on the “Trail of Tears”. John Ross

Jackson’s Native American Policy Reflected Frontier Attitude Only play half of this video up to 1:50.

Jackson’s Native American Policy Reflected Frontier Attitude Seminoles Florida Led by Osceola US captured and shipped many Seminoles up the Mississippi River to Indian Territory Military spent about $20 million and had 1,500 casualties President Tyler ended the Seminole War with no treaty ever being signed in 1842. Resource: http://www.semtribe.com/History/NoSurrender.aspx Osceola

Jackson’s Native American Policy Reflected Frontier Attitude Native American Indian Territory Resource: http://www.bownet.org/draynard/ch11visuals.pdf

Essential Questions How did Jackson’s policies affect the political, economic, and social life of the nation? How was Jackson viewed by different groups of people?

Notes to Teachers Enrichment: give your students this link to watch at home about the Cherokee. It is over an hour long so it is not so good in school. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/weshallrema in/the_films/episode_3_trailer Slide 7 & 23: Abraham Lincoln was part of the militia that came afterwards and helped to bury the dead. He was a captain.