Native American Perspective on Indian Removal Act - 807 Words

In May 1830, Congress passed the Indian Removal Act which forced Native American tribes to move west. Some Indians left swiftly, while others were forced to to leave by the United States Army. Some were even taken away in chains. Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States, strongly reinforced this act. In the Second State of the Union Address, Jackson advocated his Indian Policy. There was controversy as to whether the removal of the Native Americans was justified under the administration of President Andrew Jackson. In my personal opinion, as a Native American, the removal of the tribes was not in any way justified. The removal of the Native Americans was an egocentric move on Jackson’s part. Jackson was only able to†¦show more content†¦Jackson felt the removal of the Cherokees from our land was justified because the government was paying for everything. Money can not compensate for the blood that was shed by our ancestors. When some Indian tribes did not leave the land, federal troops came to Georgia to remove the tribes forcibly. Cherokees resisted leaving their land until the bitter finish. Cherokees were marched by gunpoint which was known as the infamous Trail of Tears. Many died due to the horrid conditions, including my great grandmother. Any sensible person would have considered the consequences of these actions. Jackson tried to make the trade seem peaceful and reasonable, but there is nothing sane about the Trail of Tears. â€Å"The consequence of a speedy removal will be important to the United States, and to the Indians themselves†(91). If Jackson really cared about our well being, like he claimed, why would he allow the horrific Trail of Tears to persist? This exhibits Jacksons insincerity and disregard for the inhuman conditions my ancestors had endure. A main argument Andrew Jackson had was that the Indian Removal Act was only a continuation of a change that was already happened, â€Å"The present policy of the government is but a continuation of the same progressive change by a milder process†(93). He then continued to state how the tribes that previously occupied the eastern states were annihilated to make room for the whites. This was a transparentShow MoreRelatedThe Indian Removal Act By Andrew Jackson877 Words   |  4 Pages In the 1830s, The Indian Removal Act was passed, which forced Native tribes such as the Cherokee to move to the west of the Mississippi River. President Jackson’s actions of the Indian Removal Act lead to the trail of tears, where many Native Americans died along the way. This paper will analyze and explain the different perspectives of the Indian Removal Act. 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