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

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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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 they made the journey west
cold, rain, and snow
inadequate clothing
many became ill
¼ died

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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