Assignment: 3-2-1 Assignment

Question

Part One: List and describe briefly 3 events or people that led to the Cherokee removal from Georgia. Name the person or event. Write a 1-2 sentence summary of their role leading up to the Cherokee Removal. (This should be written in your own words.)

Part Two: Explain 2 ways that the Cherokee tried to assimilate or become similar to the American or European culture around them. List the 2 ways. Then provide a 1-2 sentence explanation of why the Cherokee thought this would help them to keep their own land.

Part Three: Describe 1 new piece of information you learned about the Cherokee American Indian Removal to Oklahoma. Why will you always remember this new information? How has it changed the way you think about the Westward Expansion Era?

Answer 1

Part One: Events or People Leading to Cherokee Removal

1. Indian Removal Act of 1830: This legislation, signed by President Andrew Jackson, authorized the federal government to negotiate treaties that would require Native American tribes in the eastern United States to relocate west of the Mississippi River. It directly facilitated the forced removal of the Cherokee from their ancestral lands in Georgia.

2. Treaty of New Echota (1835): This treaty, signed by a small faction of the Cherokee Nation, stipulated the cession of Cherokee land in Georgia in exchange for land in the west and a payment. Though it was signed without the approval of the majority of the tribe, it provided the legal basis for the removal, leading to the forced march known as the Trail of Tears.

3. Gold Rush in Georgia: The discovery of gold on Cherokee land in Georgia heightened the demand for their territory and prompted settlers and the state government to push for their removal. The economic interests of non-Native settlers made their removal a priority for the state, resulting in increased pressure on the Cherokee to vacate their homeland.

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Part Two: Cherokee Assimilation Efforts

1. Adopting Western Education: The Cherokee established schools and embraced English-language education to promote literacy among their people. By doing so, they aimed to demonstrate their capability for governance and worthy citizenship in the view of American society.

2. Creating a Written Constitution: The Cherokee Nation adopted a written constitution in 1827 and formed a government modeled after that of the United States. This was an effort to assert their sovereignty and legitimacy as a structured political entity, hoping to be recognized and respected by the U.S. government.

The Cherokee believed that by adopting aspects of American culture and governance, they would be viewed as equals by white settlers and the federal government, which might deter encroachment on their land and protect their rights.

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Part Three: New Learning about Cherokee Removal

One new piece of information I learned is that the Trail of Tears was not just a single event but a series of forced relocations involving multiple tribes, with the Cherokee's journey in 1838 being the most infamous. This made me realize the broader scale of Native American displacement during this period and how systemic these policies were. This understanding has changed my perspective on the Westward Expansion Era, highlighting not only the pursuit of land and resources by settlers but also the profound suffering and injustice faced by Indigenous peoples during this expansion.