In educational institutions and history books we have learned about the Europeans coming to the New World and the ill treatment of Native Americans. We have also learned about African Americans and Slavery, again the Europeans mistreating others embracing entitlement for a better life then everyone else on this great Nation we call America, “Home of the Free”. Were the “White People” the only ones guilty of such horrible acts? Slavery had been going on long before the African Slave trading. It dates back to ancient Greek and Roman times. Here in the Americas it was seen in the culture of the Mayans and Aztecs who would enslave those they conquered. As punishment for certain crimes criminals became slaves. Also, when one tribe conquered another …show more content…
the prisoners of war who were not used as human sacrifices became slaves (Little, Rachel. "Aztec Social Structure."). One could could voluntarily sell himself or family members as slaves to pay back a debt. So it is no surprise to find that the Native Americans also had the practice of Slavery. Recently, our United States District Court has been bringing to light the Native Americans practice of Slavery, the “Cherokee Freedmen”, with the case Cherokee Nation v.
Raymond Nash. Instead of hearing about an injustice toward our Native Americans we are hearing of a prejudice toward the “Cherokee Freedmen”. These “Cherokee Freedmen” were slaves of the Cherokee Nation, African Americans or also known as “Black Indians”. At the time of the Indian removal, 1830s, when the American Government was chasing the Native Americans off their lands in the East and sending them West, their slaves were included. It is estimated that in 1861, 4,000 black slaves were living among the Cherokee (Pedraza, Xiomara). As a result of the Civil War, in 1866 a treaty was signed between the Cherokee Nation and the Federal government in which slavery was to be abolished. All Cherokee Nation Former Slaves and their descendants were given “All the rights of native Cherokees.” Later after the Dawes Rolls these “Black Indians” were listed as “Cherokee Freedmen” giving them all the rights and their entitlement to free land just as the full blooded Cherokee. Depending on the tribe, each “Freedmen” received between 40 acres and 160s acres of land and a share of the assets of the tribe ("Historical Background of the 5 Nations Indian …show more content…
Freedmen."). We also need to consider that the Dawes Rolls registration began in 1898 and ended in March 1907. These were not complete due to those who did not want to be listed associated with an American Indian tribe. Nor were they accurate. Those who were listed as “Freedmen” should not have any degree of Indian blood listed on the application. Many though actually had and Indian Father or Grandfather. Black Indians even with Indian blood were listed as “Freedmen” on the Dawes Rolls. The Descendants of Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes has also state that “those with mixtures of white and Indian ancestry were enrolled by the Dawes commission as "Indians", with varying degrees of Indian blood.” So why is our U.S.
District Court Judge getting involved now? The descendants of these Cherokee “Freedmen” are wanting full tribal citizenship. The Cherokee Nation feels that their interpretation of the treaty of 1866 gives them the right to decide who is Cherokee and who is not. In fact in 2007, Cherokees changed their tribal constitution, requiring “Indian blood” for citizenship. This excluded an number of previously considered descendants of Cherokee freedmen. Jon Velie, Cherokee Freedmen attorney,was quoted in The Washington Post: “For more than 140 years, descendants of the freedmen have voted, held positions in national councils, led courses in traditional art, participated in national holidays. The law is unequivocal. There is nothing ambiguous about it.” The Cherokee Nation feel that the original 1866 treaty was written as to give the Cherokee “Freedmen” protection by being apart of the Cherokee Nation and that the “protection” is no longer a need for them. All involved are still awaiting a
decision. Works Cited "Historical Background of the 5 Nations Indian Freedmen." DFSCTA Service 2. Descendants of Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes Association, n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2014. "Judge to Publish Opinion on Citizenship Status of Cherokee Freedmen." Judge to Publish Opinion on Citizenship Status of Cherokee Freedmen. Running Strong for American Indian Youth, 9 May 2014. Web. 26 Oct. 2014. Little, Rachel. "Aztec Social Structure." Tarlton Law Library. University of Texas at Austin, 2010. Web. 26 Oct. 2014. Milloy, Courtland. "The Cherokees: One Nation, Divisible? Judge Will Decide If Black Members Can Be Expelled." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 6 May 2014. Web. 26 Oct. 2014. Pedraza, Xiomara. "Freedmen's Children and Racism in the Cherokee Nation." Web log post. The Progress. Word Press, 16 Nov. 2013. Web. 26 Oct. 2014. United States. Indian Affairs. Laws and Treaties. Treaty with the Cherokee 1866. By Charles Kappler. N.p.: n.p., n.d. INDIAN AFFAIRS: LAWS AND TREATIES. Vol. 2, Treaties. Web. 26 Oct. 2014.
“The decision of the Jackson administration to remove the Cherokee Indians to lands west of the Mississippi River in the 1830’s was [less] a reformulation of the national policy that had been in effect since the 1790’s [and more] a change in that policy.”
The generalization that, “The decision of the Jackson administration to remove the Cherokee Indians to lands west of the Mississippi River in the 1830s was more a reformulation of the national policy that had been in effect since the 1790s than a change in that policy,” is valid. Ever since the American people arrived at the New World they have continually driven the Native Americans out of their native lands. Many people wanted to contribute to this removal of the Cherokees and their society. Knox proposed a “civilization” of the Indians. President Monroe continued Knox’s plan by developing ways to rid of the Indians, claiming it would be beneficial to all. Andrew Jackson ultimately fulfilled the plan. First of all, the map [Document A] indicates the relationship between time, land, and policies, which affected the Indians. The Indian Tribes have been forced to give up their land as early as the 1720s. Between the years of 1721 and 1785, the Colonial and Confederation treaties forced the Indians to give up huge portions of their land. During Washington's, Monroe's, and Jefferson's administration, more and more Indian land was being commandeered by the colonists. The Washington administration signed the Treaty of Holston and other supplements between the time periods of 1791 until 1798 that made the Native Americans give up more of their homeland land. The administrations during the 1790's to the 1830's had gradually acquired more and more land from the Cherokee Indians. Jackson followed that precedent by the acquisition of more Cherokee lands. In later years, those speaking on behalf of the United States government believed that teaching the Indians how to live a more civilized life would only benefit them. Rather than only thinking of benefiting the Indians, we were also trying to benefit ourselves. We were looking to acquire the Indians’ land. In a letter to George Washington, Knox says we should first is to destroy the Indians with an army, and the second is to make peace with them. The Indian Trade and Intercourse Act of 1793 began to put Knox’s plan into effect. The federal government’s promise of supplying the Indians with animals, agricultural tool...
First, the Cherokees don’t want to move to their new territory. According to Joan Marshall in the article “Allow the Cherokee To Stay” that, they were treated horrible, and they didn’t get the treaties said when they moved. The Cherokees decided to ring their problems to the U.S. Supreme Court which is just fair. The U.S. Supreme Court didn’t really favor on the Cherokees but
Garrison, Tim Alan. The Legal Ideology of Removal: The Southern Judiciary and the Sovereignty of Native American Nations Studies in the Legal History of the South. Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press, 2002.
The article analyses the effect of the Indian Removal Act, which was approved by Jackson, on various native tribes. “The Cherokee, on the other hand, were tricked into an illegitimate treaty. In 1833, a small faction agreed to sign a removal agreement: the Treaty of New Echota. The leaders of this group were not the recognized leaders of the Cherokee nation, and over 15,000 Cherokees -- led by Chief John Ross -- signed a petition in protest. The Supreme Court ignored their demands and ratified the treaty in 1836.
The Cherokee Indians, the most cooperative and accommodating to the political institutions of the united states, suffered the worst fate of all Native Americans when voluntarily or forcibly moved west. In 1827 the Cherokees attempted to claim themselves as an independent nation within the state of Georgia. When the legislature of the state extended jurisdiction over this ‘nation,’ the Cherokees sought legal actions, not subject to Georgia laws and petitioned the United States Supreme Court. The case became known as Cherokee Nation vs. Georgia in 1831. Supreme Court Justice John Marshall denied their claim as a republic within Georgia, he then deemed the Cherokee as a ‘domestic dependent nation’. One year later through the case of Worcester vs. Georgia, the Cherokee’s were granted federal protection from the molestation by the state of Georgia. Through the Indian Removal act in 1830 President Andrew Jackson appropriated planning and funding for the removal of Native Americans, Marshall’s rulings delayed this for the Cherokee Nation, and infuriated President Jackson. Marshall’s decision had little effect on Jackson and ignoring this action the president was anxious to see him enforce it.
Natives were forcefully removed from their land in the 1800’s by America. In the 1820’s and 30’s Georgia issued a campaign to remove the Cherokees from their land. The Cherokee Indians were one of the largest tribes in America at the time. Originally the Cherokee’s were settled near the great lakes, but overtime they moved to the eastern portion of North America. After being threatened by American expansion, Cherokee leaders re-organized their government and adopted a constitution written by a convention, led by Chief John Ross (Cherokee Removal). In 1828 gold was discovered in their land. This made the Cherokee’s land even more desirable. During the spring and winter of 1838- 1839, 20,000 Cherokees were removed and began their journey to Oklahoma. Even if natives wished to assimilate into America, by law they were neither citizens nor could they hold property in the state they were in. Principal Chief, John Ross and Major Ridge were leaders of the Cherokee Nation. The Eastern band of Cherokee Indians lost many due to smallpox. It was a year later that a Treaty was signed for cession of Cherokee land in Texas. A small number of Cherokee Indians assimilated into Florida, in o...
Cherokee Indians “Memorial of Protest of the Cherokee Nation, June 22, 1836” in The Cherokee Removal: A Brief History with Documents, ed. Theda Perdue and Michael D. Green (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2005), 87
The tragedy of the Cherokee nation has haunted the legacy of Andrew Jackson"'"s Presidency. The events that transpired after the implementation of his Indian policy are indeed heinous and continually pose questions of morality for all generations. Ancient Native American tribes were forced from their ancestral homes in an effort to increase the aggressive expansion of white settlers during the early years of the United States. The most notable removal came after the Indian Removal Act of 1830. The Cherokee, whose journey was known as the '"'Trail of Tears'"', and the four other civilized tribes, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek and Seminole, were forced to emigrate to lands west of the Mississippi River, to what is now day Oklahoma, against their will. During the journey westward, over 60,000 Indians were forced from their homelands. Approximately 4000 Cherokee Indians perished during the journey due to famine, disease, and negligence. The Cherokees to traveled a vast distance under force during the arduous winter of 1838-1839.# This is one of the saddest events in American history, yet we must not forget this tragedy.
Connections can be drawn between the mistreatment of two racial minorities centuries ago, because they went through similar struggles then and today. This is important to remember, because then the origins of white supremacy and institutional racism can be analyzed. Plus, as the quote from George Santaya goes, those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat
Native Americans, namely the Cherokees, had been living on the lands of the eventual Americas without European contact for years until the 1700s. After contact was made and America had gained freedom, people like President Andrew Jackson, believed that the Cherokees should be removed from the land that was rightfully the United States’. President Jackson even hired Benjamin F. Curry of Tennessee to help with the removal of the Cherokees from east of the Mississippi River. Curry believed that his job was to try to drive the Cherokees to either want to leave without a second thought or sign a treaty agreeing to America’s terms. Curry’s actions led to the natives of the Cherokee nation’s objections of being removed so miserably. Many complained about how their significant others or children were either forcibly removed or held to get the natives to agree to leave. Some of the natives decided that they would try to fight their way out of being removed, but some, like Rebecca Neugin, a member of the Cherokee nation’s father were persuaded not to resist so that they or their families would not be harmed more than necessary. When some of the Americans, like Evan Jones, saw this, they tried to spread awareness of how the Cherokees were being treated,...
Colonists started to import slaves from South America in hopes that they would live longer and be more manageable to control. The slaves that were imported were trained past their first year of slavery, so that they would not die as fast. The first imported slaves came to America in the early 17th century. When they received the slaves, they found out some of them were baptized, and were under the Christian religion. So they could not be treated as slaves under the religion, so they were turned into indentured servants.
Servitude is a usual part of African ritual. Tribes would often use trade to obtain slaves by going to the head chief and trading for livestock. Not only did various tribes trade with the people of their countries, but with the Europeans of other nationalities as well. There were times that tribes would go to war and keep chiefs and prisoners of war were kept as slaves, to trade with European countries. Many times slaves were sold due to being punished, or to rape and other various crimes.
Within a year of taking office, President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act on May 28, 1830. A longtime supporter of removing Indians from the lands they occupied, Jackson’s Indian Removal Act gave him the authority to negotiate directly with Native American Indian tribes to exchange their land with land west of the Mississippi River. Within ten years of the signing of the Act more than 70,000 Indians were relocated, many with force, and thousands died during the process. Those that benefited most from the Indian Removal Act were the State of Georgia, the Country as a whole and Indians.
The concept of the slave trade came about in the 1430’s, when the Portuguese came to Africa in search of gold (not slaves). They traded copper ware, cloth, tools, wine, horses and later, guns and ammunition with African kingdoms in exchange for ivory, pepper, and gold (which were prized in Europe). There was not a very large demand for slaves in Europe, but the Portuguese realized that they could get a good profit from transporting slaves along the African coast from trading post to trading post. The slaves were bought greedily by Muslim merchants, who used them on the trans-Sahara trade routes and sold them in the Islamic Empire. The Portuguese continued to collect slaves from the whole west side of Africa, all the way down to the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa), and up the east side, traveling as far as Somalia. Along the way, Portugal established trade relations with many African kingdoms, which later helped begin the Atlantic Slave Trade. Because of Portugal’s good for...