Cherokee Removal
David Pittman
HIS 131 I3
September 8, 2012
Cherokee Removal
The Cherokee Removal could be said to have begun when England lost the Revolutionary War to the United States. That’s when the people of the United States felt that they could control “uncivilized” people and their land. Of course the Cherokee to those people were “uncivilized” so that meant that they could take over what rightfully belonged to the Cherokee. However, President George Washington and Henry Knox wanted to experiment with the Cherokee in hopes of having them become civilized. President Washington and Mr. Knox did not take into consideration how the United States people would feel about the Cherokee; they felt that no matter what the Cherokee were taught that they would never fully be equal because of race. The Cherokee accepted some of the changes and resisted others, eventually this led to the forced removal of the Cherokee. After several failed treaty attempts, the Cherokee finally accepted that they would have to leave when soldiers arrived. The final negotiation was for the Cherokee to be able to move alone in the winter or 1838-39 and this would become known as the “Trail of Tears” because so many Cherokee died along the way.
“Becoming Civilized” meant changing the ways that the Cherokee were accustomed to. Cherokee women would be more homemakers and the farming that they had done in the past would now fall to the men who had once been the hunters of wild game. The experiment would have the Cherokee taking on more cattle, hogs and they would also begin to raise sheep. In addition to planting corn they would also plant, cotton, wheat and flax. This also changed how some Cherokee viewed themselves and the way they looked at family. One example of that change would be Young Wolf, whom after he died and his Last Will and Testament read showed how the views of the Cherokee had started shifting. Before Cherokee traced themselves through their mothers; this meant that when
HIS 131 I3
September 8, 2012
Cherokee Removal
The Cherokee Removal could be said to have begun when England lost the Revolutionary War to the United States. That’s when the people of the United States felt that they could control “uncivilized” people and their land. Of course the Cherokee to those people were “uncivilized” so that meant that they could take over what rightfully belonged to the Cherokee. However, President George Washington and Henry Knox wanted to experiment with the Cherokee in hopes of having them become civilized. President Washington and Mr. Knox did not take into consideration how the United States people would feel about the Cherokee; they felt that no matter what the Cherokee were taught that they would never fully be equal because of race. The Cherokee accepted some of the changes and resisted others, eventually this led to the forced removal of the Cherokee. After several failed treaty attempts, the Cherokee finally accepted that they would have to leave when soldiers arrived. The final negotiation was for the Cherokee to be able to move alone in the winter or 1838-39 and this would become known as the “Trail of Tears” because so many Cherokee died along the way.
“Becoming Civilized” meant changing the ways that the Cherokee were accustomed to. Cherokee women would be more homemakers and the farming that they had done in the past would now fall to the men who had once been the hunters of wild game. The experiment would have the Cherokee taking on more cattle, hogs and they would also begin to raise sheep. In addition to planting corn they would also plant, cotton, wheat and flax. This also changed how some Cherokee viewed themselves and the way they looked at family. One example of that change would be Young Wolf, whom after he died and his Last Will and Testament read showed how the views of the Cherokee had started shifting. Before Cherokee traced themselves through their mothers; this meant that when