The Plight of Native Americans, 1830s & 1840s

The War of 1812 was a disaster for most American Indians After 1812, it was clear that the whites could not be held back from expansion Additionally, the Indians had lost all of their European allies The Cherokee had fought for the British in the French & Indian War, but clashed with all whites over disputed lands

The Cherokee By the 1800s, the Cherokee were centered in Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas After failed conflicts with Anglos in 1700s, Cherokee would take a more practical, compromising path in the 1800s Around 1810, the Cherokee leadership strongly advocated acculturation; they would adopt Anglo-style education, agriculture, religion, etc.

Cherokee drafted a Constitution modeled after the US in 1827 Sequoyah develops Cherokee alphabet Capitol established in New Echota in northwest Georgia Establish newspaper called the Cherokee Phoenix. Why do you think they chose this name?

Georgians wanted control over Indian land within state boundaries, but legally they had to respect the rights of the Cherokee Nation Jackson, along with most whites, sided with Georgia; also promoted the idea that it was in the Cherokees best interest to relocate Gold discovered in GA in 1829, state legislature passed laws to annex Indian lands Indian Removal Act signed in 1830

Indian Removal Act of 1830 Allowed the president to force Indians from several tribes to resettle west of the Mississippi River Seen as a land swap: US would take Indian land in the southeast, but give the tribes land in Oklahoma Congress provided $500,000 for transportation and an allowance for the Indians once they arrived

Worcester v. Georgia GA passed laws requiring whites living on Cherokee lands to obtain a license Sam Worcester is arrested w/o a license, and he sues Georgia Supreme Court rules in 1832 that Cherokee Nation is sovereign, & Georgians may not enter it or pass laws governing it Jackson famously claims he will not enforce the ruling Cherokees initially elated by ruling, but soon saw it was meaningless

John Marshall argued that the Cherokee Nation was a sovereign state, and that Georgia laws could not effect it. He also argued that Georgia, as a state, could not negotiate with a foreign power. Who can? Samuel Worcester was a missionary living on Cherokee land in GA w/o a license. He was arrested, but sued.

Major Ridge Born a mixed-race Cherokee in 1771 Participated in raids against white settlers in the ‘80s and ’90s, but fought for Jackson during the Creek War and Seminole War After the Indian wars, Ridge became a wealthy planter & slave-owner in GA A strong Cherokee patriot, but became convince by the 1830s that removal was inevitable Sided with the Treaty party & in 1835 signed what he called his “death warrant” – the Treaty of New Echota Assassinated in June 1839, so was his son & nephew

John Ross Born in Turkeytown, AL; he was 1/8 Cherokee & 7/8 Scottish Very “Americanized,” first language was English, spoke Cherokee poorly Served with Jackson in Creek War, founded a tobacco plantation with 20 slaves Became Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation in 1827, oversaw drafting of Constitution Very popular w/ Cherokee, very skilled in diplomacy; despite this, he could not stop the Removal Act Lost his wife in the Trail of Tears; died in 1866 as chief

The Treaty of New Echota Treaty Party: argued that Cherokees should take the best deal from the US National Party: argued that Cherokee should stay and continue to plead their case to the US government While members of the National Party were gone, War Dept rep John Schermerhorn negotiates with the Treaty Party in New Echota in 1835 The Treaty “officially” sold all Cherokee land to the US for $5million, & gave the Cherokee 2 years to move west

Trail of Tears Routes