The U.S. Government Removes Native Peoples
The U.S. Government Removes Native Peoples examines the forced relocation of Native American tribes from east of the Mississippi River under Andrew Jackson's Indian Removal Act of 1830—one of the most devastating episodes in American history and a critical topic in 8th grade U.S. history. The Cherokee's forced march from Georgia to Oklahoma—the Trail of Tears—killed approximately 4,000 of the 15,000 people who made the journey from disease, exposure, and starvation. The U.S. government removed the Five Civilized Tribes despite a Supreme Court ruling in their favor, revealing how political and economic interests could override both law and morality.
Key Concepts
As American settlers moved west, the U.S. government wanted the land that belonged to Native Americans. The government decided to move the tribes to make room for the new settlers.
The government used its army to push tribes onto reservations, which were small areas of land set aside for them. The Nez Perce tribe, led by Chief Joseph, refused to leave their homeland. They fled over 1,000 miles toward Canada to remain free.
Common Questions
What was the Indian Removal Act of 1830?
The Indian Removal Act authorized the President to negotiate treaties exchanging Native American lands east of the Mississippi River for lands west of it. President Jackson used the act to forcibly remove the Five Civilized Tribes (Cherokee, Creek, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Seminole) from their homelands in the Southeast to present-day Oklahoma.
What was the Trail of Tears?
The Trail of Tears was the forced relocation of approximately 15,000 Cherokee people from Georgia to Oklahoma in 1838-1839. Conducted by the U.S. Army in winter, the march killed approximately 4,000 people from disease, exposure, and starvation. Other removed tribes also suffered catastrophic losses. The Cherokee call their removal the place where they cried.
Why did Jackson remove Native Americans despite a Supreme Court ruling against it?
In Worcester v. Georgia (1832), Chief Justice Marshall ruled that the Cherokee Nation was sovereign and Georgia had no authority over their lands. Jackson refused to enforce the ruling, reportedly saying Marshall had made his decision, let him enforce it. Without presidential enforcement, the ruling was meaningless, demonstrating that executive power could override judicial authority.
What happened to the Five Civilized Tribes after removal?
The Five Civilized Tribes were relocated to Indian Territory in present-day Oklahoma, where they rebuilt their societies, governments, and economies over decades. Many had adapted extensively to American culture before removal—the Cherokee had their own written constitution, newspapers, and schools. During the Civil War, the tribes split between Union and Confederate allegiances.
How did Southeastern whites justify Indian removal?
Proponents argued removal would protect Native peoples from encroaching white settlers, allow them to maintain their culture in peace, and open valuable Southern farmland (especially for cotton) to white settlement. Critics including Congressman Davy Crockett and missionary Jeremiah Evarts argued removal was unjust and violated treaties. The economic motive—especially Georgia's desire for Cherokee gold lands—was overwhelming.
When do 8th graders study Indian removal?
Indian removal is covered in 8th grade history in the Age of Jackson and Westward Expansion unit (1828-1850), as a case study in how the ideology of Manifest Destiny justified the displacement of Native peoples and how economic and political interests could override both law and moral principles.