Chapter 12, Lesson 2 Conflict Over Land

Removing Native Americans Many Native Americans remained in East as land was settled by whites “Five Civilized Tribes” Cherokee, Creek, Seminole, Chickasaw, Choctaw peoples lived in GA, AL, MS, & FL Many white settlers wanted federal gov’t to relocate: move to another place Native Americans west of MS River

Cherokee vs Georgia 1830, Pres Andrew Jackson gets Indian Removal Act to pass through Congress Allowed Fed Gov’t to pay Nat Amer to move west to what’s now Oklahoma Cherokee didn’t want to move but Georgia pressured them Supreme Court ruled Cherokee didn’t have to move but Jackson ignored

Trail of Tears 1836, Senate approved the Treaty of New Echota, forcing Cherokee to give up all land by 1838. Only 500/17,000 Cherokee had signed Pres Van Buren ordered the army to move rest of 15,000 Cherokee June-Dec 1838, soldiers rounded up Cherokee in NC, GA, AL, TN More than ¼ of all Cherokee died

Seminole Wars In December 1835, troops led by Major Francis Dade who tried to remove Seminole were attacked Only a few soldiers survived the Dade Massacre 1835-1842: 3,000 Seminole and escaped slaves (Black Seminoles) fought 30,000 US soldiers War cost US $20 million+

Life in the West By 1842 most Native Americans lived in the west, had given up 100 million+ acres of land Lived on organized reservations (“wasteland”) west of Mississippi River Whites would eventually settle near reservations Disputes over land continue today President Andrew Jackson