Indian Removal Dbq

Imagine waking up one day only to find that you cannot live there anymore. You are being required to move because the government wishes to isolate your race, or religion, in a certain zone. You would probably not be very happy at all, but this exact instance is what happened to the Native Americans. In 1830, President Andrew Jackson passed the Indian Removal Act. This law made it so that all Native Americans must relocate their entire tribes to what is now known as Oklahoma. Some tribes moved with no debate, but some put up a fight, for the land was rightfully theirs. Some scholars believe the forced migration of the Native Americans was justified due to the colonists belief in Manifest Destiny (the desire to expand westward). Although American settlers wish to pursue their country’s destiny, the historic actions taken are not the way to go about it. The Colonists should have never taken the

Native’s land without giving them a chance to assimilate.
To start, the Indian Removal Act was not beneficial because it was the Native territory.

According to William E. Huntziker in his article Indian Removal Act from Edscohost, “Whites wanted their land not their assimilation…”(Huntziker 1) says it perfectly. Huntziker’s quote demonstrates that the settlers only wanted their land. The colonists did not care for the Native’s lives. The united States settlers should have been more considerate. If something is not yours, then do not touch it; it is simple common sense. In the website Historymatters.gmu.edu, Angela Darrenkamp states, “In 1828, not only did whites for settlement purposes desire their land, but gold was discovered… The court decided in favor of the Cherokee, however, the president and congress forced the Native Americans to give up their lands”(Darrenkamp 1). This quote proves two things. The American colonists only wanted the Native’s land for settlement and gold. The quote also enlightens the fact that the colonists were disobeying a judges verdict to let the Natives stay by removing them from their own

territory.
Even though some would argue that expanding westward was the main priority at the time, the main priority was to increase in population and form allies instead of enemies. Growing in size before growing in population spreads the population out and weakens the country. The United States should have let the Natives fully assimilate to better the country. According to Rourke Native American History, “Worcester argued that Georgia did not have the legal rights to make laws affecting Cherokee lands, because the Cherokee is a sovereign nation”(RNAH 1). This quote clearly states how the Native Americans should not have been relocated. The settlers should have let them assimilate, so the country could grow in population.
To conclude, the Native Americans should have been given a chance to assimilate because the land was rightfully theirs and the colonists should have respected that. Think of how you would feel if the government made you move because they want your land, and if you do not move then they will make you move with force. The reaction is obvious. As you already are aware, in 1830, president Andrew Jackson passed a law that forced Native Tribes to move west. He passed it after a jury decided otherwise. Though some people want land, others would rather have protection, and growing in population is a perfect way of increasing protection. One could ask how present day America is supposed to fix this, but it is now in the past. We cannot change the past; we can only change our outlook on the future.