The Cherokee Embracing Civilization

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The Cherokee Indians were arguably the most successful Indian tribe in the United States. The Cherokee depended on deer skin trading, farming, and hunting for the majority of survival. The tribe began struggling in the late 1700’s. With the United States beginning to take control of several different tribes, the Cherokees became concerned that their land may no longer belong to them. The United States were pushing the Cherokee tribe to become civilized. Many Cherokee Indians were against the civilization because they did not fully trust the United States, or its government. The Cherokee leader, Young Wolf, did not listen to those against civilization and chose to embrace civilization with the United States. The goal of embracing the civilization was to keep the land the Cherokee had, east of the Mississippi River. This plan seemed as if it could only help the Cherokee, but in fact it hurt them because of the greed of the United States to have all the land to themselves.
The start of the Cherokee civilization began with the first President, George Washington. Washington knew that the relationship with the tribe was not going too well, and that the Cherokee’s did not trust the United States. Henry Knox, secretary of war, was in charge of making a plan to assist the Cherokee with their civilization. This plan started out suggesting that the Cherokee attempt to plan other crops besides corn. It was suggested that the tribe attempt to plant crops such as wheat, cotton, and flax. These three crops were more widely used among United States citizens and would allow the Cherokee to widen their trade, which would in return boost their economy. The reason that the Cherokee needed to increase the crops they were growing was also due to the ...

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...Shortly after this, the true intentions of the United States became to show and it became apparent that embracing civilization would only hurt the Cherokee. The state of Georgia began removing the Cherokee, but the United States still kept their word and attempted to help the Cherokee to keep their homes. Andrew Jackson was elected as President and the Cherokee had no hope. President Jackson put forth the Indian Removal Act and by the summer of 1838 the Cherokee were completely moved west of the Mississippi River. The Cherokee leaders only hurt their people by embracing civilization. The Cherokee wanted to keep their land east of the Mississippi River, but because of embracing civilization that would not happen.

Works Cited

Green, Michael, and Theda Perdue. The Cherokee Removal A Brief History with Documents. 2nd Edition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2005. Print.

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