This week of class, we mentioned Andrew Jackson. He was considered a hero after the War of 1812 and won the popular vote for President in 1828. Many Native Americans' today are upset on the treatment that our ancestors received by him and his Government. In 1814 he commanded the U.S. military that defeated the Creek nation, which the Creeks lost 22 million acres of land in southern Georgia and central Alabama. From 1814 to 1824, Jackson negotiated nine out of eleven treaties which devestated the southern tribes of their eastern lands in exchange for lands in the west.
In 1830, just a year after taking office, Jackson pushed a new piece of legislation called the "Indian Removal Act". Jackson's attitude toward Native Americans was paternalistic and patronizing -- he described them as children in need of guidance.http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2959.html The Cherokee were given two years to move west, if they didn't, it would be forced. By 1838 only 2,000 had migrated; 16,000 remained on their land. The U.S. government sent in 7,000 troops, who forced the Cherokees into stockades at bayonet point. They were not allowed time to gather their belongings, and as they left, whites looted their homes. Then began the march known as the Trail of Tears, in which 4,000 Cherokee people died of cold, hunger, and disease.
By 1837, the Jackson administration had removed 46,000 Native American people from their land opening 25 million acres of land to white settlement and to slavery.
I found a writing by Tecmuseh that I would like to share.
A TESTIMONY TO THE SURVIVAL OF ORIGINAL PEOPLES DISPLACED INTO EXILE, WHO OVERCAME AND FLOURISHED IN A BARREN LAND
"The way, the only way, to stop this evil is for the red man to unite in claiming a common and equal right in the land, as it was first, and should be now, for it was never divided.
We gave them forest-clad mountains and valleys full of game, and in return what did they give our warriors and our women? Rum, trinkets, and a grave.
Brothers -- My people wish for peace; the red men all wish for peace; but where the white people are, there is no peace for them, except it be on the bosom of our mother. Where today are the Pequot?
Where today are the Narrangansett, the Mohican, the Pakanoket, and many other once powerful tribes of our people?
They have vanished before the avarice and the oppression of the White Man, as snow before a summer sun."
-- Tecumseh
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2 comments:
I completely agree that Andrew Jackson was not a hero. He completely overstepped his authority when he went into Spanish held Florida and his policies in regard to Native Americans was totally wrong. He made the argument that the only way to "save" the Native Americans was to move them west of the Mississippi. That would be like Abraham Lincoln saying the only way to free the slaves would be to send them back to Africa. The worst part about Jackson is that I believe he used freed slaves and ex-convicts to fight the British in New Orleans. Why favor them and not Native Americans.
Important points Rachael. This will be a topic of lecture and discussion this week. Certainly Andrew Jackson was a man of contradiction and not a hero in many respects.
Although Jackson receives much of the credit/blame for Native Removal, he was certainly not alone nor the only supporter of such extreme action. Widespread support allowed Jackson's removal to occur.
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