Starvation, Illness and Death of the Native Americans in...

One of the greatest injustices of American history included, starvation, illness, and death. These hardships were undeservingly forced upon an innocent group of people – the Native Americans. One may think that the Trail of Tears was only a simple journey the Indians made to discover new frontiers. This is not the case. The Trail of Tears was the result of the white man’s selfishness, causing Indians to lose their homes and belongings. The act was full of unfair treatment, cruelty, and heartlessness. This tragic event took place in the nineteenth century, and was mostly initiated by President Andrew Jackson. In 1814, Jackson proposed an idea for a new act called the Indian Removal Act. (pbs) This act was not widely accepted throughout†¦show more content†¦This was because their right of occupancy was subordinate to the United States right of discovery. In response to the great threat this posed, the Creeks, Cherokee, and Chickasaw instituted policies of restric ting land sales to the government. They wanted to protect what remained of their land before it was too late† (pbs). Jackson had always appeared to want all of the Indians gone. He decided that he could propose a law that would force every Indian to evacuate. The purpose of making them leave was so that the white men could come in, search for gold, and gain other various benefits Reeves 4 associated with the land. As one can see, Jackson always wanted to get rid of the Indians and had no intention of being on their side. â€Å"In an 1829 letter to the Congress of the United States, Gov. George Gilmer Charged the Cherokee Nation with violation of Georgia’s sovereignty. He reiterated his demand that the Cherokees dissolve their republican government, submit to the laws of the state, renounce their claim to territory within Georgia’s chartered boundaries, and move west of the Mississippi River† (Anderson 55). Following this incident was yet another issue involving Georgia’s State court. â€Å"In May 1830, congress passed the Indian Removal Act by one vote† (Salas 20). The Cherokee Indians were extremely displeased with this decision, and wanted to go to courtShow MoreRelatedKayleigh Poudrier. Hist 221-002. Professor Marram. 31 March1704 Words   |  7 Pagescould never fit in with the definition of the word home. This forced removal of the Cherokee became known as the Trail of Tears. The Trail of Tears came to be after an interest in settlement on their lands, occurred under Andrew Jackson’s presidency, was composed of harsh conditions and unfair treatment, and ended in a negative manner for the Cherokee. The land that the Native Americans called their own was a large portion of the south. The Cherokee’s land in particular â€Å"extended from the Ohio RiverRead MoreNative American Women1150 Words   |  5 PagesNative Americans more than any other group in the country fare considerably worse based on social and economic indicators. They suffer high poverty rates, low life expectancy, and higher than usual rates of illness. Alcoholism and suicide rates are especially rampant within the reservations. One of the most devastating programs, with concerns which are still felt today, was the systematic removal of native lands and children. Native Americans were forced off their lands to undesirable lands, slowlyRead MoreGeoncide Against Native Americans2048 Words   |  9 Pageshad drastically reduced the numbers of Native American by committing the same actions. Was genocide committed against the Native Americans? Many may argue the decline of the Native American population was caused by new diseases being introduced by the Europeans to which the native tribes had no immunity. Others argue forcing the Native Americans from their homes was a necessity for the development of this new land. However, the thousands of Native Americans killed during the Indian Removal Act can