Cherokee Tribe Case Study
1
The Removal of the Cherokee Tribe
Since the early 1700’s, land between the Native Americans and the European settlers have been full of constant battles. Population of the Europeans increases as more settlers expand on the economy, making less room for the land to settle on. During the westward expansion, the Cherokees biggest threat comes from Georgia and their persuasion against congress and the desire to run off the Cherokee. Cherokees have been on the American land possible forever and at no stop will Georgia let them have any room on their territory. Because congress was so weak, the desire for Cherokee land was abundant and congress could not help the Cherokee people. As the increase of the United States population …show more content…
grew, more land opportunities became scarce. With growing dependence in Georgia on slavery and congress working on a proposal for anti-slavery law, one way they could avoid pro-slavery increase in the House of Representatives is to increase the number of white eligible farmers and to get rid of Cherokees. Cherokee’s and other Indians were seen as colored and not equal to white men, therefore, useless to the voting count in Georgia. This made people in Georgia take the progression of the state issue and evict the Cherokees. 2
The Cherokee resisted and attempted to defend their rights.
The Cherokee had an agreement on a land cessation in 1819, and it concluded that the Cherokees would cede no more land. Georgia tired to revoke their civil rights so the Cherokee’s had to bring in the United States Supreme Court for protection. “In 1832, when the court ruled in favor of Cherokee sovereignty in Worcester V. Georgia, the state refused to respond to the court’s decision. Furthermore, Georgia went ahead with a land lottery, enacted into law in 1830, that provided for the distribution of Cherokee territory to Georgia citizens…no one seemed to have the power and the will to help the Cherokee.”1 The Georgians were winning leaving little hope for Cherokee …show more content…
tribe. During the time Americans were trying to make Indians more “civilized” the Cherokee’s as well as other Indian tribes had more and more become educated. Little did everyone know in Georgia that it would become a harder task to manipulate the Cherokees into a deal because of how smart they had become.
There was no persuading the Indian leaders to sell their land to Georgia and move west. But in 1827 all that changed, the Georgia General Assembly ruled that Georgia had complete sovereignty
3
over the land and people within its borders. In section eight of the Georgia State Assembly, it states,”…that it shall not be lawful for any person or body of persons…to prevent any Indian of said nation residing within the chartered limits of this state, from enrolling as an emigrant…”.2 Not even congress would stand up against Georgia, they just let them do what they pleased.
The end of removal resulted in as what was known as the “Trail of Tears”, this is the process of where the Americans began forced removal of the Native Americans. All of this was allowed under the terms and conditions of the Treaty of Echota. The terms stated that, “the Cherokees had two years to move to their new home in the west.”3 During this many Cherokee lives were lost due to the vulnerability to disease and the harsh climate. The estimated death count was close to four thousand Cherokees and was even known to be as much as eight thousand. For those who thought they would be tough and try and stick it out got captured and imprisoned under law. “Many of the Cherokees,
4 who, a few days ago, were in comfortable circumstances, are now victims of abject poverty.”4
This concludes the specific reasons why the Cherokee had no choice but to remove to the west. Congress was pushed by Georgia to take precautions that Georgia felt necessary to move forward by removing the Cherokee. Although the Cherokee lost everything they knew and loved, they settled westward and within two years had their children in school and fields beginning to grow. Altogether making Georgia the number one influence on the attack towards the Cherokee.
The Removal of the Cherokee Tribe
Since the early 1700’s, land between the Native Americans and the European settlers have been full of constant battles. Population of the Europeans increases as more settlers expand on the economy, making less room for the land to settle on. During the westward expansion, the Cherokees biggest threat comes from Georgia and their persuasion against congress and the desire to run off the Cherokee. Cherokees have been on the American land possible forever and at no stop will Georgia let them have any room on their territory. Because congress was so weak, the desire for Cherokee land was abundant and congress could not help the Cherokee people. As the increase of the United States population …show more content…
grew, more land opportunities became scarce. With growing dependence in Georgia on slavery and congress working on a proposal for anti-slavery law, one way they could avoid pro-slavery increase in the House of Representatives is to increase the number of white eligible farmers and to get rid of Cherokees. Cherokee’s and other Indians were seen as colored and not equal to white men, therefore, useless to the voting count in Georgia. This made people in Georgia take the progression of the state issue and evict the Cherokees. 2
The Cherokee resisted and attempted to defend their rights.
The Cherokee had an agreement on a land cessation in 1819, and it concluded that the Cherokees would cede no more land. Georgia tired to revoke their civil rights so the Cherokee’s had to bring in the United States Supreme Court for protection. “In 1832, when the court ruled in favor of Cherokee sovereignty in Worcester V. Georgia, the state refused to respond to the court’s decision. Furthermore, Georgia went ahead with a land lottery, enacted into law in 1830, that provided for the distribution of Cherokee territory to Georgia citizens…no one seemed to have the power and the will to help the Cherokee.”1 The Georgians were winning leaving little hope for Cherokee …show more content…
tribe. During the time Americans were trying to make Indians more “civilized” the Cherokee’s as well as other Indian tribes had more and more become educated. Little did everyone know in Georgia that it would become a harder task to manipulate the Cherokees into a deal because of how smart they had become.
There was no persuading the Indian leaders to sell their land to Georgia and move west. But in 1827 all that changed, the Georgia General Assembly ruled that Georgia had complete sovereignty
3
over the land and people within its borders. In section eight of the Georgia State Assembly, it states,”…that it shall not be lawful for any person or body of persons…to prevent any Indian of said nation residing within the chartered limits of this state, from enrolling as an emigrant…”.2 Not even congress would stand up against Georgia, they just let them do what they pleased.
The end of removal resulted in as what was known as the “Trail of Tears”, this is the process of where the Americans began forced removal of the Native Americans. All of this was allowed under the terms and conditions of the Treaty of Echota. The terms stated that, “the Cherokees had two years to move to their new home in the west.”3 During this many Cherokee lives were lost due to the vulnerability to disease and the harsh climate. The estimated death count was close to four thousand Cherokees and was even known to be as much as eight thousand. For those who thought they would be tough and try and stick it out got captured and imprisoned under law. “Many of the Cherokees,
4 who, a few days ago, were in comfortable circumstances, are now victims of abject poverty.”4
This concludes the specific reasons why the Cherokee had no choice but to remove to the west. Congress was pushed by Georgia to take precautions that Georgia felt necessary to move forward by removing the Cherokee. Although the Cherokee lost everything they knew and loved, they settled westward and within two years had their children in school and fields beginning to grow. Altogether making Georgia the number one influence on the attack towards the Cherokee.