The Indian Removal Act of 1830 Introduction

In 1838, the Cherokee people were forced to leave their homes and resettle in Indian Territory. Historians now call the result of this forced removal “The Trail of Tears,” noting how devastating and treacherous this journey was for several Native American nations, including the Cherokee who journeyed from their capital of New Echota in Georgia to present-day Oklahoma.

As the sources provided show, not everyone wanted the Cherokee to leave. Compare these sources to identify the different sides of this debate and determine who was for and against Cherokee removal and why. The arguments these leaders present show different ways the Cherokee people were presented as “civilized,” “incompetent,” “protected,” and “vulnerable.”

Your Task:

Analyze the sources provided to help you answer the following essential questions:

In what ways was the Cherokee culture used as a “weapon” to argue for and against their removal?

How did each leader’s perspective influence how they might have argued differently for or against Cherokee removal? (For example, what are important differences between the Cherokee Council’s argument and Governor Wilson’s or even Senator Frelinghuysen’s?)