29 Questions
What was one of Andrew Jackson's main ambitions as president?
To expand the United States westward across the continent
What policy did Jackson sign into law in 1830 that allowed him to exchange lands with Native American tribes?
The Indian Removal Act
What event became known as the 'Trail of Tears' as a result of the Indian Removal Act?
The forced removal of the Cherokee nation westward
What were some of Andrew Jackson's views toward Native Americans?
He held disparaging and racist views, referring to them as 'savages'
What was Andrew Jackson's background prior to becoming president?
He was a general in the War of 1812 before becoming president
What was one of the main arguments used to justify the Indian Removal Act?
The Native Americans were too savage and did not have a right to the lands they lived on.
What was the main argument used by the Cherokee Nation in the Supreme Court case Cherokee Nation v. Georgia?
The Indian Removal Act was unconstitutional and violated treaties between the Cherokee and the US government.
What was the main reason most Cherokees opposed the Treaty of New Echota?
They felt the treaty was signed by a small minority and did not represent the Cherokee people.
Which Native American resistance movement is NOT mentioned in the text?
The Cherokee Resistance
What was the main reason the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Cherokee in the Worcester v. Georgia case?
States did not have the power to regulate Native American land.
Which of the following statements accurately describes the role of Native American tribes during the conflict mentioned in the text?
Native American tribes fought on both the American and British sides.
What was the primary motivation behind Andrew Jackson's policy of Indian removal?
To acquire more land for white settlers by forcibly removing Native Americans from their lands.
What was the primary factor that served as an impetus for advocates of removal to push the Cherokee from their lands in the 1830s?
The discovery of gold on Cherokee lands in 1828.
Which of the following groups opposed the Indian Removal Act of 1830?
The Whigs and the Abolitionists
What was a key factor that shaped Andrew Jackson's policies and views towards Native Americans?
All of the above
What was the primary goal of the Indian Removal Act signed by Andrew Jackson in 1830?
To exchange lands west of the Mississippi for lands occupied by Native American tribes in the Southeast
What event became known as the "Trail of Tears" during the implementation of the Indian Removal Act?
The forced removal of the Cherokee nation from their lands in the Southeast
Which of the following statements best describes the concept of "Manifest Destiny" during Andrew Jackson's presidency?
It was the belief that the United States had a divine right to expand westward across the continent
What was Andrew Jackson's background before becoming president?
He served as a general in the War of 1812
What was the Cherokee Nation's argument in the Supreme Court case Cherokee Nation v. Georgia?
The Cherokee were an independent sovereign nation.
Why did the Cherokee Nation not win the Cherokee Nation v. Georgia case initially?
The Court considered them a 'domestic dependent nation'.
How did President Jackson react to the Supreme Court's ruling in Worcester v. Georgia?
He ignored it and continued with the Indian removal policy.
Why did most Cherokees oppose the Treaty of New Echota?
The treaty was negotiated without their full consent.
What was a key reason why General Winfield Scott and troops were sent to force the Cherokee to leave their lands?
To use force and intimidation tactics to remove the Cherokee.
Which of the following was a primary goal of the Indian Removal policy?
To resolve long-standing tensions between tribes and settlers
What was the primary reason the Whigs and Abolitionists opposed the Indian Removal Act of 1830?
They believed it was an unjust policy that would cause immense suffering
Which of the following statements accurately describes the 'Five Civilized Tribes' mentioned in the text?
They were tribes that had adopted aspects of European life, such as a written language and individual land ownership
What was the primary factor that served as an impetus for advocates of removal to push the Cherokee from their lands in the 1830s?
The discovery of valuable natural resources on Cherokee lands
Which of the following statements best describes the Cherokee's response to the Indian Removal policy?
They were overwhelmingly opposed to being forcibly removed from their ancestral lands
Study Notes
The Indian Removal Act and Trail of Tears
- The Indian Removal Act was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson in 1830, allowing the president to exchange lands west of the Mississippi River for those on which Native Americans currently resided.
- The act was supported by whites in the Southeast who were eager to take land and expand west, but was opposed by groups such as the Whigs and the Abolitionists.
Andrew Jackson and Native Americans
- Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States, held disparaging and racist views toward Native Americans, referring to them as "savages."
- Jackson was a slaveholder and believed in the idea of Manifest Destiny, the expansion of the United States westward across the continent.
- As president, Jackson actively pursued a policy of Indian removal, which meant pushing Native American tribes west in order to separate them from white settlers.
Cherokee Nation and the Trail of Tears
- The Cherokee Nation, one of the "Five Civilized Tribes," originally occupied land in present-day Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama.
- The Cherokee had adopted aspects of European culture, such as developing a writing system and introducing individual ownership of land.
- The discovery of gold on Cherokee lands in 1828 served as an impetus for advocates of removal to push them from their lands.
- The Treaty of New Echota was signed in 1835, offering five million dollars in exchange for the Cherokee's lands, but most Cherokees opposed the treaty and wished to remain where they were.
- By 1838, only 2,000 (of 16,000 total) Cherokee had voluntarily moved west.
- In the spring of 1838, the federal government sent General Winfield Scott and 7,000 troops to force the Cherokee to leave their lands, resulting in the Trail of Tears, a brutal journey that killed thousands.
Resistance and Court Cases
- There were movements of resistance to the Indian Removal Act, such as the Second Seminole War (1835-1842) and the Third Seminole War (1855-1858) in Florida.
- The Cherokee Nation turned to the Supreme Court to protect themselves from laws being passed at the state and federal level to force them from their land.
- In Cherokee Nation v. Georgia (1831), the Cherokee Nation argued that laws forcing them from their land were unconstitutional and violated treaties between the Cherokee and the US government.
- On March 3, 1832, the Supreme Court reversed their decision and ruled that states did not have the power to regulate Native American land, but Jackson ignored the Court's ruling and proceeded to enforce the policy of Indian removal.
Test your knowledge on Andrew Jackson's presidency, the Indian Removal Act, and the Trail of Tears. Learn about Manifest Destiny and its impact on United States expansion westward.
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