Indian Removal Act
Indian Removal ActIndian Removal (Zinn Chapter 7)
Once the white men decided that they wanted lands belonging to the
Native Americans (Indians), the United States Government did everything
in its power to help the white men acquire Indian land. The US
Government did everything from turning a blind eye to passing
legislature requiring the Indians to give up their land (see Indian
Removal Bill of 1828). Aided by his bias against the Indians, General
Jackson set the Indian removal into effect in the war of 1812 when he
battled the great Tecumseh and conquered him. Then General, later to
become President, Jackson began the later Indian Removal movement when
he conquered Tecumseh�s allied Indian nation and began distributing
their lands (of which he invested heavily in). Jackson became the leader
of the distribution of Indian lands and distributed them in unequal
ways. In 1828 when Jackson was running for President his platform was
based upon Indian Removal, a popular issue which was working its way
through Congress in the form of a Bill. Jackson won a sweeping victory
and began to formulate his strategies which he would use in an "Indian
Removal campaign". In 1829, upon seeing that his beloved Bill was not
being enforced Jackson began dealing with the Indian tribes and offering
them "untouchable" tracts of lands west of the Mississippi River if they
would only cede their lands to the US and move themselves there. Jackson
was a large fan of states rights-ism, hence he vetoed the charter for
the Bank of the United States, and when faced with two issues concerning
states rights (one with South Carolina regarding succession, one with
Georgia regarding the Indians) he went with the suppression of South
Carolina and gave Georgia all out support. When faced with the decision
of Union or Indians he went with the Union and oppressed the Indians.
The Executive branch wasn�t the only part of government which suppressed
the Indians, the Legislative branch also suppressed them. In 1828
Congress passed the Indian Removal Bill which forced the Indians in the
south to relocate or "be subjected to state laws." This Bill was
strongly opposed by the north while it was supported by the south. The
Bill, which barely passed it both House and Senate, was a support for
the popular distribution of fertile Indian lands. The United States
government was lured into the...
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