Indian removal

Indian Removal

The Five “Civilized” Tribes•Cherokees (Southern Appalachians)

•Choctaws (Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana)

•Creeks (South Georgia and Alabama)

•Chickasaws (North Mississippi, West Tennessee)

•Seminoles (Florida)

Cherokees

•Had a written language, schools, and a newspaper.

•Capital city of New Echota still stands today in North Georgia.

•Successfully sued the state of Georgia in the Supreme Court over land rights.

•President Jackson refused to enforce the court’s decision.

A “Primitive” Cherokee Dwelling

“Primitive” Cherokee Print Shop

“Primitive” Cherokee Dwelling

Choctaws

•Gave up most of their land in the 1832 Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek.

•Most went to Oklahoma, but a few stayed behind.

FACT

•If you could take a trip to 1828 Mississippi, you couldn’t tell the difference between a white farm and a Choctaw farm unless the owner came out to greet you.

Conclusion

Indians were not removed because they refused to “get with the times” and adopt the “white man’s ways.”

Indians were removed because they were IN THE WAY and felt that the land they’d lived on for thousands of years was theirs.

RESISTANCE

•After the Sauk and Fox were removed from Illinois, a warrior named Black Hawk led his people back, spawning what became known as “Black Hawk’s War.” Today, Black Hawk is best known as a hockey mascot.

MORE RESISTANCEIn Florida, the Seminoles, led by Osceola also refused to go along with removal.

Osceola was told that the Americans wanted to discuss a peace treaty. When he showed up to discuss it, he was arrested and imprisoned. He died a prisoner.

Today…

•“Osceola” can be seen at every Florida State home game, where he once again declares war on people who invade Florida