The Native Americans, as we know, lived on American soil long before the Europeans landed on it. America was their home for centuries but once the Europeans came to settle, all of that changed. The Native Americans, including the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, Seminole, and many more, were forced to move west to make more room for the settlers. The settlers also wanted the land to themselves so they could make a profit off of it. Many of the Native Americans suffered from starvation and diseases while moving west and they died. This journey is known as “The Trail of Tears”. The United States committed an act of genocide to the Native Americans by ignoring their rights, forcing them to move from their homes, and making them walk a long
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The 5 Civilized Tribes, which were the Cherokees, Chickasaws, Seminoles, Choctaws, and Creeks, wanted to live peacefully among the settlers and adapt to their ways. The Cherokees, being the most known tribe, lived in what is known today as Georgia. By the 1830’s they were very civilized having established their own government, language, and they even wrote their own journals (The Indians Removal). The settlers saw the Natives as dangerous savages. With the discovery of gold in northern Georgia, the settler’s bitterness towards the Cherokees grew (“Brief History of the Trail of Tears”). The United States wanted all of their land for the gold and profit. It was then that the Government came to the conclusion that the Cherokees, and other tribes, needed to be removed. In 1830, Congress passed the Indian Removal Act and President Andrew Jackson approved. This law allowed the president to consult with the Indian tribes about removing them from their homes and relocating them west of the Mississippi …show more content…
The Seminoles, who lived in Florida, refused to leave their land. They put up three wars with the United States. The Second Seminole War was the most violent war because more than 1,500 American soldiers died (“The Seminole Wars”). Towards the end, the Seminole leader Osceola was captured and put into prison where he later died. The Seminoles kept on fighting until they were forced to move west. Instead of fighting back by going to war, the Cherokees took matters to court. In 1831, the Cherokees took the state of Georgia to court in Cherokee Nation vs. Georgia because they were restricting their rights. This court case argued that Georgia had no power over the Cherokees or the land on which they lived on. The court case was simply ignored and President Jackson did nothing to execute it. All of the white settlers supported the removal of the Indians and none of them tried to fight for them. On the other hand, a man named Samuel Worcester, a missionary to the Cherokees, helped them fight back. Worcester and other missionaries took the state of Georgia to court in Worcester vs. Georgia. He argued that Georgia violated the Natives rights and that they did not have jurisdiction over their land. The Supreme Court favored Worcester’s argument but the ruling was not enforced by the government or President
The 5 Civilized Tribes, which were the Cherokees, Chickasaws, Seminoles, Choctaws, and Creeks, wanted to live peacefully among the settlers and adapt to their ways. The Cherokees, being the most known tribe, lived in what is known today as Georgia. By the 1830’s they were very civilized having established their own government, language, and they even wrote their own journals (The Indians Removal). The settlers saw the Natives as dangerous savages. With the discovery of gold in northern Georgia, the settler’s bitterness towards the Cherokees grew (“Brief History of the Trail of Tears”). The United States wanted all of their land for the gold and profit. It was then that the Government came to the conclusion that the Cherokees, and other tribes, needed to be removed. In 1830, Congress passed the Indian Removal Act and President Andrew Jackson approved. This law allowed the president to consult with the Indian tribes about removing them from their homes and relocating them west of the Mississippi …show more content…
The Seminoles, who lived in Florida, refused to leave their land. They put up three wars with the United States. The Second Seminole War was the most violent war because more than 1,500 American soldiers died (“The Seminole Wars”). Towards the end, the Seminole leader Osceola was captured and put into prison where he later died. The Seminoles kept on fighting until they were forced to move west. Instead of fighting back by going to war, the Cherokees took matters to court. In 1831, the Cherokees took the state of Georgia to court in Cherokee Nation vs. Georgia because they were restricting their rights. This court case argued that Georgia had no power over the Cherokees or the land on which they lived on. The court case was simply ignored and President Jackson did nothing to execute it. All of the white settlers supported the removal of the Indians and none of them tried to fight for them. On the other hand, a man named Samuel Worcester, a missionary to the Cherokees, helped them fight back. Worcester and other missionaries took the state of Georgia to court in Worcester vs. Georgia. He argued that Georgia violated the Natives rights and that they did not have jurisdiction over their land. The Supreme Court favored Worcester’s argument but the ruling was not enforced by the government or President