Who is Andrew Jackson?

 War of 1812 Hero- Battle of New Orleans ◦ He destroyed the Native American forces in the South – helped win the war!  Defeats JQA to be the 7 th President  Didn’t go to College! ◦ Worked as a Soldier, in Law, Land appraisal and Farmer, Politics… among many! Has a Bad Temper!

 Jacksonians – People who support A.J. ◦ There are a lot of them!!!  After elected Jackson practiced the “Spoils System”  Def.: The Practice of winning candidates’ rewarding their supporters with government Jobs.  Jackson Fires 10% of Federal Employees and fills the spot with a Jackson supporter! IS THIS A GOOD or a BAD IDEA?

 2 Ways of Thinking: 1) Displacement and Disposition  What does this MEAN? 2) Assimilation  What does this MEAN?  Jackson doesn’t believe in #2

Option 1: Convert the Native Americans to Christianity, turn them into Farmers and absorb “White Culture”

 Jackson thinks Assimilation CAN NOT work ◦ Only Solution was to move Tribes Further West  Act Passed in 1930 ◦ Def. Law that forced Native Americans east of the Mississippi to move to lands further west negotiated by Government Treaties. ◦ “5 Civilized Tribes” of the Southwest:  Cherokee, Choctaw, Seminole, Creek and Chicksaw  They began to Assimilate!  Map Highlighted on pg 227  Jackson begins to move by FORCE!

 Try to “Fight” by using the Legal System! ◦ They Take The State of Georgia to Court— all the way to the Supreme Court! ◦ And they WIN!! ◦ Jackson says… “let him enforce it…” ◦ Treaty of Echota- ◦ Treaty of Echota- Gave the Last 8 million acres of Cherokee land to the Government in exchange for $5 Million and Land West of the Mississippi.  -This Marks the Beginning of the Mass Exodus

 October 1838-Cherokees are sent off in groups of 1,000 each.  800 mile Trip, mostly on foot –Mistreated  Terrible winter storms kill many  ¼ of their people died on the route  Watch it… Watch it…