Before the Indian Removal act was placed the Cherokees tried to protect themselves so in 1827 they adopted a constitution declaring themselves to be a sovereign nation. The states challenged them and took them to court in 1831. Indians based their appeal on the 1830 Georgia law that whites can not live on Indian territory. The law at that time was to stop white missionaries from helping Indians so the court agreed with the Indians that they had the right to self government. Georgia and Andrew Jackson refused to abide the court decision.
When Jackson took office he placed the Indian Removal act so that only he can negotiate with Indians. Most of the tribes were willing to go except the Cherokees so they had to be tricked into signing a treaty. Cherokees were given two years to migrate voluntarily but at the end of the time frame they would be forcibly moved. By 1838, only 2,000 of 18,000 migrated voluntarily so Government sent in 7,000 troops to flush them out. They made them march on the path known as the Trail of Tears. 4,000 people died of cold, hunger and exhaustion.
Source: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2959.html
I'm not really sure what question you did, I saw that you touched on the aftermath of the Trail of Tears, Jackson, and court, so it was a little confusing. Besides that, the information was good, I knew a lot of them died, but I had no idea it was 4000.
ReplyDeleteHey!! I did the same question and had the same source!! (it was totally a coinsidence) I like how you did a before and after the SOTU. I got a picture of how stupid and unjust Jackson was. I wish he wasn't on the money.
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