Andrew Jackson and The Indian Removal Act essays

Andrew Jackson and The Indian Removal Act essays Andrew Jackson's lack of positive actions and policies ultimately forced the westward migration of the "five civilized" Native American tribes, the Creeks, Chickasaws, Seminoles, Cherokees and Choctaws. Jackson's failure to enforce his early promise that the migration of the Native American tribes would be voluntary was a major factor in the success of the forced migration, as were Jackson's repeated failures to ensure that treaties with Native Americans were kept and that land deals with Native Americans were not fraudulent. In addition, other legislation like the Indian Trade and Intercourse Act of 1834 resulted in more migration out of the area, by reducing native rights and sovereignty. Further, Jackson's role in forwarding the forced migrations was likely motivated by a desire for profit and land, political concerns, and racism. In The Long, Bitter Trail: Andrew Jackson and the Indians, Anthony Wallace describes the forced removal of thousands of Native Americans from the American east to an area west of the Mississippi River through the Indian Removal Act of 1830. The author focuses on how the policies of Andrew Jackson impacted the relocation, who as a newly elected president faced a caucus that was deeply divided over the relocation of the Native Americans. Ultimately, Jackson became on of the most vocal and active of the proponents of the forced removal of the Native Americans. A professor of history and anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania, Wallace is clearly qualified to write this history. He has written a number of books, including the Bancroft prize-winning Rockdale The Indian Removal Act of 1830 resulted in the forced removal of the five "civilized tribes" that lived in the geographical area east of the Mississippi River. The move displaced large numbers of the Cherokee and Choctaw tribes, but also affected a number of other tribe...