Andrew Jackson's Second Annual Message Analysis

The first document that we were to read was Andrew Jackson’s Second Annual Message. The Annual Message would be the equivalent to the State of the Union Address. This was a speech that Jackson delivered to Congress about the Government policies and changes that he wishes to make within his next year of presidency. Jackson’s biggest concern was about the removal of the Native Americans. Some of his main points were that removal of the Indians will strengthen and prevent invasions within the southwestern states, it would allow states such as Mississippi and Alabama to expand their population, wealth, and power, and it would be beneficial for the Natives because it would allow them to “pursue happiness in their own ways”. The second document that we read was the Cherokee letter protesting the Treaty of New Echota that was addressed to the Senate and the House of Representatives and written by Chief John …show more content…
President Jackson also found that there would be many advantages for the Natives such as cutting off contact with the settlers would allow them to be freed from the power of the States, allow them to pursue their happiness in the ways that they please, and it would stop the gradual decay that the Natives were experiencing. Another “advantage” that Jackson mentioned was that separation of the settlers and the Natives would “cast off their savage habits” so that they may pick up on the Christian