Congressional Legislation – Indian Removal Act of 1830

When Andrew Jackson became President in 1829, the native population in the east had dwindled to 125,000, but white population ballooned to 13 million. The needs for farmland and residential land led the white settlers to move deeper into Indian territory

Jackson Signed and Enforced the Indian Removal Act In 1830 the Congress of the United States passed the "Indian Removal Act." Although many Americans were against the act, most notably Tennessee Congressman Davy Crockett, it passed anyway. President Jackson signed the law and ordered the Choctaws, Creeks, Seminoles, Chickasaws, Cherokees, and other tribes to leave their lands.

Cherokees Fought Against Removal The Cherokee nation, led by Chief John Ross, fought back in the U.S. courts. Their case went all the way to the Supreme Court. In 1832, Chief Justice John Marshall ruled that the U.S. should protect the Cherokees and their land in Georgia.

Georgia ignored the court’s ruling Georgia ignored the court’s ruling. President Jackson refused to enforce the ruling. He remarked, “Well, John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it”.

Forced Removal In 1838, soldiers forced the remaining Cherokees to leave their ancestral lands. Their journey to the Indian Territory became known as the Trail of Tears.

Trail of Tears 17000 Cherokees were forced to travel more than 800 miles to the federal land in the west More than 4,000 Cherokees died of cold, disease, and lack of food during the 116-day journey.

Map of the Trail of Tears

In 1906 Sinclair’s novel The Jungle drew outrage against the Chicago meatpacking industry for its arrogant disregard of basic health standards. This led to government regulation of food and drugs. 10

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair “There would be meat that had tumbled out on the floor, in the dirt and sawdust, where the workers had trampled and spit uncounted billions of germs. There would be meat stored in rooms and thousands of rats would race about it……A man could run his hand over these piles of meat and sweep handfuls of dried rat dung.

Teddy Roosevelt Roosevelt responded by appointing a commission of experts to investigate the meatpacking industry. Commission backed up Sinclair’s account of disgusting conditions in the industry.

Pure Food and Drug Act Creation of the Food and Drug Administration, which was entrusted with the responsibility of testing all foods and drugs destined for human consumption The requirement for prescriptions from licensed physicians before a patient could purchase certain drugs The requirement of label warnings on habit-forming drugs.

Meat Packing Act Meat Packing Act (1906): Strict cleanliness requirements for meatpackers. These requirements also apply to imported meat products, which must be inspected under equivalent foreign standards.