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| The "Five Civilized Tribes," then, had complied with U.S. policy and were entitled to remain on their lands in the eyes of the government. In spite of this, many white settlers wanted the land. Andrew Jackson and other candidates of the new ] made Indian Removal a major goal in the campaign of ]. In 1830, Congress passed the Indian Removal Act and President Jackson signed it into law. One of the opponents of the law was Congressman ] of Tennessee. | The "Five Civilized Tribes," then, had complied with U.S. policy and were entitled to remain on their lands in the eyes of the government. In spite of this, many white settlers wanted the land. Andrew Jackson and other candidates of the new ] made Indian Removal a major goal in the campaign of ]. In 1830, Congress passed the Indian Removal Act and President Jackson signed it into law. One of the opponents of the law was Congressman ] of Tennessee. | ||
| When the federal government began seizing their tribal land, the Cherokee fought them in court. The ] under Chief Justice ] affirmed the right of the civilized tribes to remain in two cases, '']'' and '']''. They declared the Indian Removal Act unconstitutional. However, Indian Removal was so popular a cause that Jackson continued it despite the Court's decision. He is reported to have said, "John Marshall has made his decision. Now let him enforce it!" knowing that the ] gives the Court no |
When the federal government began seizing their tribal land, the Cherokee fought them in court. The ] under Chief Justice ] affirmed the right of the civilized tribes to remain in two cases, '']'' and '']''. They declared the Indian Removal Act unconstitutional. However, Indian Removal was so popular a cause that Jackson continued it despite the Court's decision. He is reported to have said, "John Marshall has made his decision. Now let him enforce it!" knowing that the ] gives the Court no power to enforce its decisions. | ||
| So the five tribes were resettled in the new ] in modern-day ] and parts of ]. The Native American inhabitants called the area "the Nations." The Cherokee were forcibly driven to Oklahoma in what became known as the ]. Many of them died along the way. | So the five tribes were resettled in the new ] in modern-day ] and parts of ]. The Native American inhabitants called the area "the Nations." The Cherokee were forcibly driven to Oklahoma in what became known as the ]. Many of them died along the way. | ||
Revision as of 05:39, 3 September 2004
The Indian Removal Act of 1830 was a law passed by the United States Congress and signed by President Andrew Jackson to force the removal of 60,000 members of Native American tribes in the United States living east of the Mississippi River to lands farther west. The law was enacted on May 26, 1830.
The act was passed surrounded by controversy. Since the presidency of Thomas Jefferson, America's policy had been to allow Native nations to remain east of the Mississippi as long as they became "civilized." They were to settle in one place, farm the land, divide communal land into private property, and adopt democracy. In 1830, the only tribes still living east of the Mississippi had taken these measures. They were the Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Seminole, and Cherokee tribes. The Cherokee in particular had gone to great lengths to become "civilized," even adopting Christianity and a system of writing their language, developed by Sequoyah. (See Five Civilized Tribes.)
The "Five Civilized Tribes," then, had complied with U.S. policy and were entitled to remain on their lands in the eyes of the government. In spite of this, many white settlers wanted the land. Andrew Jackson and other candidates of the new Democratic Party made Indian Removal a major goal in the campaign of 1828. In 1830, Congress passed the Indian Removal Act and President Jackson signed it into law. One of the opponents of the law was Congressman David Crockett of Tennessee.
When the federal government began seizing their tribal land, the Cherokee fought them in court. The Supreme Court of the United States under Chief Justice John Marshall affirmed the right of the civilized tribes to remain in two cases, Worcester v. Georgia and Cherokee Nation v. Georgia. They declared the Indian Removal Act unconstitutional. However, Indian Removal was so popular a cause that Jackson continued it despite the Court's decision. He is reported to have said, "John Marshall has made his decision. Now let him enforce it!" knowing that the U.S. Constitution gives the Court no power to enforce its decisions.
So the five tribes were resettled in the new Indian Territory in modern-day Oklahoma and parts of Kansas. The Native American inhabitants called the area "the Nations." The Cherokee were forcibly driven to Oklahoma in what became known as the Trail of Tears. Many of them died along the way.
With this act, the last of the native tribes of Eastern North America were taken from their ancestral lands and placed onto reservations.