The Indian Removal Act Essay - 2106 Words

The Indian Removal Act Jacelyn Harrington The University of New Hampshire Social Welfare Policy 525.01 April 14, 2015 Today the United States is known as a land of freedom, and as elegantly stated by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence, â€Å"all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Unfortunately these words have not always been a reality for Native Americans, who were treated not as equals, but as subhuman by early white European settlers. 1. Social Problem During the early years of the new nation, there were a multitude of social problems the United States had to struggle with. The founding fathers and many early settlers felt that if this young new nation was indeed to reach its full potential as a strong world power, the Western lands needed to be established. President Thomas Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase of 1803 was an enormous step forward in achieving this vision for the United States, as it gained a massive amount of territories West of the original thirteen colonies (Schlesinger, 1993, p. 148). The issue was, Indians already occupied these lands and had for many generations. The major social policy of the 19th century, known as the manifest destiny, explains that it is â€Å"our manifest destiny to overspread the continent allotted by Providence for the free development of our yearly multiplying millions† (Schlesinger, 1993, p. 249). This ultimately led white European settlers on anShow MoreRelatedThe Indian Remo val Act Essay example616 Words   |  3 PagesIndian Removal Act In 1830, the Jackson administration instated the Indian Removal Act. This act removed the Native Americans from their ancestral lands to make way for an increase of additional American immigrants. This act forced many Native American tribes from their homes including five larger tribes, Cherokees, Chickasaws, Choctaws, Creek, and Seminole. These tribes had populations were estimated to be around 65,000 people strong that lived in North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama,Read MoreIndian Removal Act Essay848 Words   |  4 PagesThe Indian Removal Act signed by the president of the United States, Andrew Jackson, caused controversy and the brutal and merciless suffering of the Native Americans during The Trail of Tears. The beginning of the 1830’s was a time when the Native Americans occupied The Deep South. This, however, was problematic for the white farmers who were in need of farmland in order to increase their production of cotton. Nevertheless, Andrew Jackson, the se venth president of the United States, coerced theRead MoreThe Indian Removal Act and Andrew Jackson Essay588 Words   |  3 PagesShort Term Essay The Indian Removal Act, inspired by Andrew Jackson; the 7th president of the US and the enhanced ambition for American settlers to find more land in the southwestern regions of North America. The Indian Removal Act enabled Jackson the power of negotiating removal treaties with Indian tribes east of the Mississippi. Among these tribes were: Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaws and Seminoles. Very few authenticated traits were signed. The Choctaws were the only tribe to agree withoutRead MoreHistory: The Indian Removal Act Essay1108 Words   |  5 Pagesthey needed the Natives out. There were several motives for the removal of the Indians from their lands, to include racism and land lust. Since they first arrived, the white Americans hadn’t been too fond of the Native Americans. They were thought to be highly uncivilized and they had to go. In his letter to Congress addressing the removal of the Indian tribes, President Jackson states the following: â€Å"It will separate the Indians from immediate contact with settlements of whites; free them fromRead MoreAndrew Jackson Indian Removal Act Essay1018 Words   |  5 PagesAmericans like wars and land disputes. In the 1830s he wanted to end these conflicts so he put in place the Indian Removal Act of 1830. I believe Andrew Jackson rightly and correctly removed the Indians. Even though many Indians died along the way Jackson had a reason behind what he did and should not be to blamed for their deaths. One of Andrew Jackson’s reason behind the Indian Removal Act was so that the United States could achieve their goal of Manifest Destiny, which is the belief AmericansRead MoreThe Trail of Tears, Indian Removal Act of 1830 Essay1996 Words   |  8 PagesSarah Nawotny 11/24/2012 ENG 101-I NATIVE AMERICANS: the trail of tears, the indian removal act of 1830, reservation opression I have decided to dive into the depths of the American Indians and the reasoning behind all of the poverty and the oppression of the â€Å"white man.† In doing so I came across a couple of questions that I would like to answer. A). How did the Indian Removal Act of 1830 affect Native American culture, financial status, health, and B). Identity and how is life on the reservationRead MoreDid Andrew Jacksons Removal Act Benefit the Indians? Essay1677 Words   |  7 PagesRobert V. Remini shows that Andrew Jackson’s Indian Removal Act benefits the Native Americans. Andrew Jackson made notice of the issue with the Indians in his inaugural speech on March 4, 1829. He declared that he wanted to give humane and considerable attention to the Indian’s rights and wants in respect to the government and people. Jackson knew that meant to get rid of all remaining tribes beyond the Mississippi River. He (Jackson) believed that the Indians would be better off in the west; with outRead MoreThe Trail Of Tears : The Removal Of The Indians1631 Words   |  7 Pagesthe removal of the Cherokees. And though the removal of the Cherokees was completely illegal, the United States government still sought to justify the Cherokee removal with ideas that in retrospect proved to be mostly opinions and exaggerations. One of the most popular ideas that justified the Indian Removal was that the United States was moving the Cherokees for their own sake. Lewis Cass, a supporter of the Indian Removal and a governor of Michigan territory, wrote an essay titled â€Å"Removal of theRead MoreThe Political Issues Of The Indian Removal Act Of 18301154 Words   |  5 PagesThe Political Issues of the Indian Removal Act of 1830 Former President Andrew Jackson was responsible for putting the Indian Removal Act of 1830 in place. It forcibly removed five civilized Native American tribes— Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole—from the southern United States. The act would stay in effect until the end of the Second Seminole War in 1842. Native Americans’ feelings toward the United States government have changed from one of annoyance to disgust since being takenRead MoreThe Louisiana Purchase Affected The Boundaries Of The United States1713 Words   |  7 PagesClark led an expedition westward to determine the upper reaches of the Missouri River. Throughout the expedition Lewis and Clark were instructed to study the Indian culture, such as plants and animals. They were able to explore the Indian culture when they stayed their first winter in huts beside the Mandan Indians. Without the help from the Indians they would not have survived the winter. They also had to draw out the geo graphy of the West. After the treacherous journey, they reached the Pacific Ocean