Indian Removal

Cherokee Nation  The Cherokee adapted well to white society  Sequoya’s invention of a system of written language  Drew up a constitution for the nation  Gold was discovered one year later

Indian Removal  About 100,000 American Indians lived east of the Mississippi River  Jackson urged Congress to set aside “an ample district west of the Mississippi” Jackson believed the govt. had the right to regulate where they could live

Removal of Natives  Indian Removal Act Negotiated treaties requiring westward relocation  Congress created the Indian Territory Present-day Oklahoma  7,000 troops removed the American Indians March became known as the “Trail of Tears”

Worcester v. Georgia  Georgia had made laws creating a separate Cherokee nation within the state  GA eventually ignored Cherokee laws  Cherokee appealed to the Supreme Court to keep their land from seizure

Opinion and Reaction  Supreme Court ruled only federal govt could make laws over the Cherokee  “Justice John Marshall has made his decision…Now let him enforce it.” – Andrew Jackson  Jackson supported the state & ignored Supreme Court ruling He did not believe they could have their own govt within U.S. borders (become citizens or move west)

Where did the Trail of Tears take place?

WHY DID THE TRAIL OF TEARS OCCUR? INCREASED U.S. POPULATION

U.S. DESIRE FOR WESTWARD EXPANSION

BENEFIT OF NATIVE AMERICANS ASSETS AND RESOURCES… like gold, land for cotton, etc.