What happened to some native Americans during the Jackson presidency
During the presidency of Andrew Jackson (1829-1837), Native Americans faced a range of significant challenges, many of which resulted in detrimental consequences for their communities. Here are some of the key events and policies that impacted Native Americans during Jackson's presidency:
1. Indian Removal Act (1830): This Act authorized the removal of Native American tribes living in the southeastern United States from their ancestral lands to territories west of the Mississippi River. The primary goal was to clear land for white settlement and expand American territories. The removal of the Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Seminole tribes resulted in the forced relocation known as the Trail of Tears, causing immense suffering, death, and loss of culture.
2. Worcester v. Georgia (1832): The Supreme Court ruling in this case recognized the Cherokee Nation as a sovereign entity independent of Georgia's state laws. Chief Justice John Marshall declared that Georgia had no jurisdiction over Cherokee lands. Nevertheless, President Jackson ignored the ruling and marginalized Native American rights, leading to the eventual forced removal of the Cherokee from their ancestral lands.
3. Treaty of New Echota (1835): A small faction of Cherokees, known as the Treaty Party, signed this treaty, ceding Cherokee lands to the U.S. government in exchange for compensation and relocation to Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma). The majority of Cherokees strongly opposed the treaty, viewing it as an illegal agreement not representative of the tribe's will. Despite this, Jackson's administration enforced the treaty and forced the removal of the Cherokee people.
4. Black Hawk War (1832): Led by Sauk leader Chief Black Hawk, this conflict erupted in the Midwest when the U.S. government attempted to force Native American tribes, including the Sauk and Fox, onto reservations. The war resulted in the defeat of Native American forces, further contributing to the dispossession of their lands.
Overall, the Jackson presidency witnessed a series of policies and actions that resulted in the displacement, suffering, and loss of Native American lives and culture. These events had a lasting impact on Native American communities, with far-reaching consequences that endure to this day.