Indian Removal and the Trail of Tears

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Indian Removal and the Trail of Tears
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Black Hawk War

• 1827 - US govt says all Native Americans must
  leave Illinois
• Chief Black Hawk of the Sauk refuses, saying no
  one can own land
• US settlers moved into village when they were
  away hunting
• After Sauk attacks, US troops drive out Indians

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Indian Removal Act

• President Jackson pushes Congress to force
  Indians to move west of the Mississippi
• Congress established Indian Territory (now
  Oklahoma) as the new Indian homeland
• US govt creates Bureau of Indian Affairs

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John C. Calhoun
One of the greatest evils to which they
(Indians) are subject is the incessant (constant)
pressure of our population.

1. According to John C. Calhoun, why is the US
   government forcing the Native Americans to move
   off of their homelands?
2. What is wrong with this statement?

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Cherokee Indians

• Lived peacefully in the Appalachian Mountains of
  Georgia and Tennessee
• Adopted culture of whites - wrote and spoke
  English
• Had own written language and newspaper
• Based their government on the U.S. Constitution

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Cherokee Sue For Land

• Cherokee sued the government of Georgia for
  taking their land
• Worcester vs. Georgia - Supreme Court rules
  Georgias actions are illegal and that the
  Cherokee can stay

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President Andrew Jackson
Chief Justice John Marshall has made his
decision. Now let him enforce it.

1. What is the job of the Supreme Court?
2. What is the job of the President?
3. What should happen if a government official
   refuses to do his job?

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Trail of Tears

• Georgia govt. smashes in Cherokee printing press
• US troops move 18,000 Cherokee at gunpoint 800
  miles from 1838-1839
• 25 of Cherokee died - most elderly and children

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Trail of Tears Assignment

• Write a three entry diary about your experiences
  on the Trail of Tears and how your life was/will
  be affected by the move from Georgia to Oklahoma.
• Entry One - Before you leave (court case)
• Entry Two - On the Trail (struggles during the
  trip)
• Entry Three - When you arrive in Indian Territory
  (how life has changed)
• Detail earns points - cover emotion, fears, pain,
  successes with colorful adjectives and adverbs
• Due next class