1. Warm Up
In your notebook respond to the questions using these pictures.
What first stands out to you in the images?
What appears to be happening?
If you were to title the first painting, what would you call it and why?

2. The Trail on Which They Wept
Andrew Jackson and the Indian Removal Act

3. Why do we need more land?
Population: The US population was growing. As we grew larger, more land was needed.
Agriculture: At this point in history our economy was based on farming. Farming needs large amounts of land.
Fear of invasion: The government feared European countries would invade. A larger country is more intimidating.

4. What Stands in the Way?
There are two main obstacles that stand in the way of the US gaining more land.
The unknown land in the West:
We had attempted to solve this issue by sending out the different explorations through Western lands.
Lewis and Clark, Stephan H. Long, Zebulon Pike
Native Americans:
Every President had attempted to remove the Native Americans.
President Andrew Jackson was the most forceful.

5. Conquered Subjects
President Jackson believed that the US Government had the right to move the Native Americans where he wanted.
He viewed them as conquered subjects who lived within the borders of the United States.
President Jackson believed that the American Indians stood in the way of the country’s progress.
He pushed through the Indian Removal Act in 1830.

6. The Indian Removal Act
This legislation passed through Congress would allow the Government to forcefully remove the Native Americans from Southern lands to a new location.
Specifically Georgia
This area was home to the Indian Nations of:
Cherokee
Creek
Choctaw
Chickasaw
Seminole
Eager for land to raise cotton, the settlers pressured the federal government to acquire Indian territory.

7. Civilization or Removal
Indian Removal
Two ideas among white people about how to deal with the Indian “problem”:
Civilization or Removal
Civilization – Native Americans would become farmers; convert to Christianity: own individual portions of land; learn to read and write English;
Removal- “civilization” was never going to succeed and the only thing to do was to find some place in the West to settle Native Americans.

9. Removal
Throughout the next few years many of the tribes signed additional treaties or accepted payments and moved West.
However, the most aggressive tribe in fighting the removal was the Cherokee.

10. Fighting Fire with Fire
The Cherokee Nation tried to beat Andrew Jackson’s policy and the State of Georgia through the Court system.
They created their own formal government by writing a Constitution
Very similar to the US Constitution!

11. Worcester Vs. Georgia
The Georgia court just decided that the Cherokee Nation didn’t exist.
After many appeals, the trial eventually landed in the Supreme Court.
The court case of Worcester Vs. Georgia would end in a victory for the Cherokee!

12. “John Marshall has made his decision. Now let him enforce it!”
Short Victory
The Cherokee may have won the battle in court, but the lost the war with Andrew Jackson.
President Jackson ignores the Supreme Court ruling!
“John Marshall has made his decision. Now let him enforce it!”

13. It will civilize them…
President Jackson immediately wanted to enforce the law.
He believed that this option was “just and liberal” and would allow the Native Americans to keep their way of life.

14. Rude Awakening
In 1838 federal troops rounded up the remaining Cherokee people living in Georgia and forced them into stockades.
Many people were forced out with just the clothes on their back.
That fall and winter 16,000 Cherokee were forced to march through the rain, sleet, and snow.

15. The Tears of those who Watched
The Native Americans were emotionless.
The Cherokee refer to the time as “The trail where they cried”
“They” referring to those who witnessed the passage of the Native Americans.
4,000 Cherokee
would die.

17. “I have carried a heavy load on my back ever since I was a boy
“I have carried a heavy load on my back ever since I was a boy. I realized then that we could not hold our own with the white men. We were like deer. They were like grizzly bears. We had small country. Their country was large. We were contented to let things remain as the Great Spirit Chief made them. They were not, and would change the rivers and mountains if they did not suit them.”
What is Chief Joseph saying is the Native American attitude towards the lands to the west?
Chief Joseph
Chief Hinmatoowyalahtqit
(Thunder Rolling down the Mountain)

18. Native Assimilation
Assimilation – The process of forcing a new culture on a person or group of people.
Cultural Imperialism – One culture or group having great cultural influence over another culture or group.
The US government did this by:
Outlawing traditional Native American religious ceremonies
Boarding Schools

19. American Indian Boarding Schools
Carlisle Indian Industrial School, PA.

20. American Indian Boarding Schools
Children were immersed in European-American culture
They were given haircuts
Forbidden to speak native languages
Given Euro-Am names (John, Matthew, Margaret, Cora)
Taught Christianity

21. How would you react?
You have just been taken from your home and your family. You have no way of knowing when you will see them again.
The first thing that happens is your clothes and belongings are taken away and you are forced to wear a uniform.
You are told you must never speak your language.
You are given a different name.
Write a letter home explaining what is happening and how you feel about it. Will you react like the boy in the video and just give in? Or will you fight back?
1 page minimum