Who Is Andrew Jackson Justified In The Indian Removal Act

In Jackson’s mind, he expected the Indians to thrive as they did in their current home, except there would be no white men. Three chiefs, each one from the Chippewa, Potawatomi, and Ottawa tribes, came forward to the White House and told about their suffering. They said they were promised land as fertile as Illinois, but received land that a snake couldn’t live on. They could not live in the prairie when they were from the woods. Thousands of Indian people suffered because Jackson heard what they said

“Build a fire under them. When it gets hot enough, they’ll move”. There are many opposing opinions as to if Andrew Jackson abused his presidential power under the Indian Removal Act of 1830, and accordingly, each side can be justified. However, there is more solid evidence proving that Andrew Jackson did indeed misuse his duties as president by transforming the free movement of Indians to a forced one. Although many believed that Andrew Jackson demonstrated a genuine concern for the well being of the Native Americans, Jackson abused his power as president by unfairly enforcing the Indian Removal Act that did not authorize him to repeal treaties or force the relocation of Indians.

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, and Mississippi. (Foner, 2012) The American Indians fought for their rights and beliefs through the American court system. Their other objective other than fighting for their rights was but in the end, they were forced out of their homes to move

During the 19th Century, The Trail of Tears was the greatest crime against the indigenous population, in which the Indian removal Act led to their destruction. President Andrew Jackson removed the Native Americans from their ancestral lands because he believed that they were uncivilized. Jackson had no remorse for the Native Americans, as he and the whites forced them out of their own land, as he abused his power of authority.

In 1830, President Andrew Jackson addressed Congress stating two Native tribes had accepted the terms of the Indian Removal Act. Jackson said he hoped the two tribes consent would set an example for the other tribes to leave because he thought leaving was an advantage for them. He explained, “It puts an end to all possible danger of collision between the authorities of the General and State governments on account of the Indians.” The two different civilizations didn’t agree, which lead to violent conflicts that lasted centuries. For thirty years, the United States had tried to come to find a way to get the two civilizations reach an agreement. The Indian Removal Act became the United States government’s solution that ended the violent encounters. This Act removed the Natives from northern Tennessee, southern Louisiana, western Alabama and the state of Mississippi, which helped the United

The early 1800’s was a very important time for America. The small country was quickly expanding. With the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark expedition, America almost tripled in size by 1853. However, even with the amount of land growing, not everyone was welcomed with open arms. With the expansion of the country, the white Americans decided that they needed the Natives out.

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 without any issues. All other attempts resulted in War and blood shed for both white settlers and Indians. The conflict with the U.S. and Indians lasted up until 1837. In 1838 & 1839 Jackson forced the relocation of the remaining Cherokee Indians;

This historical document is a transcription of President Andrew Jackson’s Second Annual Message to Congress. Before his second annual message to Congress, Jackson had already signed the Indian Removal Act into law. The Indian Removal Act allowed the President to grant lands in the west to Indian tribes that agreed to give up their lands in the east (“Indian Treaties and the Removal Act”). In his message, Jackson claims that Indian Removal Act is beneficial to everyone involved. Although Jackson outlines the benefits of speeding up the process of removing Indian tribes from their homelands, in reality, the Indian Removal Act does not benefit Indian tribes because it only leads to a forced migration, reinforces prejudice towards the Indians,

The Indian Removal Act was not a peaceful transition for the Native Americans. This act was not fair for both the Native Americans, and the American citizens. Document 9 states, "…badly supplied with food and water... All our neighbors...would speak a language totally different from ours, and practice different customs..." This shows that Andrew Jackson was being very harsh to the Native Americans.

After Andrew Jackson became president, the Indian Removal Act of 1830 was passed. During his first inauguration speech in 1829, Andrew Jackson said “It will be my sincere and constant desire to observe toward the Indian tribes within our limits a just and liberal policy, and to give that humane and considerate attention to their rights and their wants which is consistent with the habits of our Government and the feelings of our people”

Jackson stated in his letter to congress that “the general government kindly offers him a new home, and proposes to pay the whole expense of his removal and settlement”,however, this does not justify tearing the indians of their homes. If you were to put yourself in the position of the Natives you would come to the realization that they were just people trying to make a simple and honest living. Yet, Jackson loathed them since they did not live a refined live, instead they followed their own traditions and customs. What Jackson

In the 1830’s America was expanding its border and completing manifest destiny. The one thing standing in the way of Americans moving west was the Native Americans. President Andrew Jackson had a dilemma on his hands. Jackson wanted to create a plan that would make everyone happy. But in the end, Jackson had the Native American removed from their land and led to the “Trail of Tears” where many Native Americans would lose their lives. Looking at the articles by F.P Prucha, Mary E. Young and Alfred A. Cave each one says that the Indians needed to be removed from their land for a different reason.

Robert V. Remini argues that Andrew Jackson’s Indian Removal Act of 1830 was socially motivated by humanitarian impulses, and that Jackson’s actions where driven by the desire to save the culture and populace of the Native

Proponents of the Indian Removal Act (the Act) advocate its benefits to the Indians. For instance, in his message to Congress, President Andrew Jackson (1830) explains, that as white settlements inevitably progress westward, current policy attributes to the slow annihilation of the Indians, therefore a speedy removal protects the Indian civilizations from extinction. He goes on to explain that the Act not only provides for this speedy removal, but provides a purchase of their current territory, endows a new extensive territory, finances relocation, and offers future support and protection; and these offers should be “hailed with gratitude and joy” (para.4), and any “pecuniary advantages which it promises to the Government are the least of its

Andrew Jacksons Indian Removal Act was never in the favor of Native Americans, the removal process consisted of misdeeds and corruption. Although it might have been meant to encourage Native Americans to submit their land voluntarily, eventually they were forcefully removed. Jackson’s proposal was to exchange unincorporated land that wasn’t theirs to begin with in the West, for more sought-after land occupied by Native Americans in the South. The Indian removal act was an injustice because although their only excuse being Natives were too uncivilized; Americans went by any means necessary to retrieve their land going as far as cheating Natives out of land they promised to protect, to violently forcing them out sending them on the Trail of Tears.