The Removal of Native Americans: Jackson's Policies and Native Resistance

1. The Removal of Native Americans • Chapter 10, Section 2 • California State Standards - 8.8, 8.8.2

2. Looking Back, Looking Ahead • In Section 1, you learned about some of the actions Andrew Jackson took as president. In section 2, you will learn about his policies toward Native Americans.

3. Main Ideas • As settlements spread westward, many Native Americans were forced off their lands. • Some groups of Native Americans attempted to resist relocation. Most were eventually taken from their land by force.

4. People and Vocabulary to Know • Black Hawk • Osceola • relocate • guerrilla tactics • federal • remove

5. Did you know? • In their war against the United States, the Seminoles used guerrilla tactics, making surprise attacks and then retreating back to the forests.The word guerrilla comes from the Spanish word for war, guerra. • The word was first used to describe Spanish-Portuguese rebels who helped the British drive the French from the Iberian Peninsula during the wars of 1809–1813.

6. What Was life Like for Native Americans in the 1830s? • Many Native Americans still lived in the southeastern part of theUnited States in the 1830s. • These tribes, called the Five CivilizedTribes, established successful farming communities. • The area west of the Mississippi was dry and seemed unsuitable forfarming, so few white Americans lived there. Settlers wanted thefederal government to relocate the Native Americans of the Southeastto this area. President Andrew Jackson supported the settlers.

7. What Was the Indian Removal Act? • In 1830 Congress passed the Indian Removal Act, which allowed thefederal government to pay Native Americans to move west. • In 1834 Congress created the Indian Territory, an area in present-dayOklahoma, for the Native Americans of the Southeast.

8. What Was the Cherokee Nation? • After the arrival of the Europeans, the Cherokee agreed to become a separate nation within Georgia called the Cherokee Nation. Therethey had their own schools, newspaper, and constitution. • A Cherokeenamed Sequoya, created the Cherokee alphabet. • The Cherokee Nation refused to give up its land in Georgia and suedthe state. The case went to the Supreme Court, which ruled thatGeorgia had no right to interfere with the Cherokee.

9. Did Jackson Follow The Law? • President Jackson vowed to ignore the Supreme Court and removethe Cherokee.

10. What Was the Trail of Tears? • In 1835 the federal government convinced a few Cherokee to sign atreaty giving up the land, but many Cherokee refused to comply withthe treaty. • In 1838 federal troops went to Georgia to remove the Cherokee.Under threat of military action, the Cherokee began the march west. • Many Cherokee died on the journey. This forced march is known asthe Trail of Tears.

11. Discussion Question • How did the Cherokee get the land in Georgia? • (The Cherokee receivedland in Georgia through treaties with the United States government in the1790s. The federal government had recognized the Cherokee people as aseparate nation with their own laws.)

12. Who Led the Native American Resistance? • Black Hawk,a Sauk chieftain, led a force of Sauk and Fox people toIllinois to reclaim land, but federal troops defeated them. • The Seminole were the only Native Americans who successfullyresisted their removal. The Seminole chief Osceola refused to sign the treaties to give up their land.

13. What Was the Dade Massacre? • 1835 - Seminole joined forces with African Americanswho escaped slavery. Attacked settlements onFlorida coast using guerrilla tactics,making surprise attacks andthen retreating into the forests. • Dade Massacre of 1835- Seminole ambushed soldiers,killing most • 1842- 1,500+ American soldiers died in Seminolewars. • Government allowed the Seminole to remainin Florida.However, many Seminole had been killed or captured andforced to move west. • After 1842 only a few NativeAmericans lived east of the Mississippi.

14. Who Were the Five Civilized Tribes? • The Native Americans who were relocated west lived onreservations—land set aside for use by Native Americans. • The Five Civilized Tribes in present-day Oklahoma set up their own governments and built schools.

15. Discussion Questions • Why were the Seminole efforts ineffective? • (Even though the federalgovernment gave up and let the Seminole have their land in Florida, manySeminole had been killed or captured, and few remained in Florida.)

16. Chapter 10, Section 2 Review page 457 • 1. Describe how President Jackson reacted to the Supreme Court decision supporting the Cherokees’ rights. • 2. How were the Seminole able to resist relocation? • 4. How was Georgia’s policy toward the Cherokee different from previous federal policy? • 5. Write a letter to Andrew Jackson telling him why the Native Americans should or should not be allowed to stay in their homelands.