Essay On The Seizure Of Indian Land In The Early 1800s

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The early 1800’s was a crucial time of growth for the United States. With the victory over the English in the War of 1812 under their belt the government and settlers felt confident in the stability of their new country. There was one thing, however, that seemed to be an obstacle for the white-settlers; Natives still dwelled on and owned a majority of the land. In 1814 Andrew Jackson led and won the Battle of Horseshoe Bend against the Creek nation, this defeat cost the Creeks 22 million acres of land that is now modern day South Georgia and Central Alabama . This was only one of many instances where the native people lost their land. The white American population was sky rocketing and the need for more land was critical for the young country’s …show more content…

George Washington’s secretary of war, Henry Knox, articulated this policy that aimed towards transforming the hunters who worshipped spirits and spoke “savage” languages into individuals who owned land, worshipped one true god, and spoke English. Anderson explains that although the policy to civilize the Indians seemed almost philanthropic at a glance, beneath the surface the policy represented a new attempt to seize the Indians’ land. Nevertheless the “civilization policy”, as Anderson calls it, demanded a total reorganization of the spiritual, social, and psychological world of the Cherokees3. In hopes of gaining the respect of white politicians and to prevent further loss of land the Cherokees adopted what Anderson refers to as “white culture”. They raised livestock, established schools, developed written laws, and abolished clan revenge. In 1817 the United States government negotiated the first Cherokee treaty that included a proposal for removal. The government promised to assist those who chose to relocate to the West and around 2,000 Cherokees elected to move despite the oppositions of Cherokee leaders. Many chose to stay and strengthen their Cherokee nation. According to Anderson in the early 1820’s Cherokees were able to read and write in their own language and by 1827 the they also created and established a supreme court and a constitution much like that of the United States. With all of this in mind one should conclude that these were not savage people; They had their own written language, justice system, and constitution. Amazingly, although they adopted “white culture” they still managed to maintain their ancestor’s language and spiritual beliefs for the most part. Undoubtedly the Cherokees went above and beyond the goals proposed by the “civilization policy. In the book, Life After the Trail of Tears: The Cherokee Struggle for

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