Indian Removal Act

The Question?

Based on the current living conditions of Americans and Natives was the Indian Removal Act justified?

How it startedEarly in the 19th century, while the growing United States expanded into the lower South, white settlers faced an obstacle in their expanding. The area they wanted to expand to was the home to natives. These Indian nations were standing in the way of progress. Eager for land to raise cotton, the settlers pressured the federal government to purchase Indian territory.

This is a picture of the Indian Removal Act Policy made in 1830.

Trail of Tears

Andrew Jackson forced the Cherokee nation to give up all land east of the Mississippi River. He disobeyed the rest of the government. Cherokee named the path they took The Trail of Tears- 4,000+ of 15,000 dies of disease, hunger, and exhaustion.

Current living conditions

Nativeso 22 % live on reservationso 90,000 homeless or under

housed familieso 30% of housing is over

crowdedo 500% more likely to die of

tuberculosiso 60% higher chance (of

whites)of infants dieo Overall percentage below

federal poverty line is 28.2%o Bad utilities (running

water, electricity, phones etc.)

Americanso Completely varies within

areaso 1 in 7 Americans are pooro Living conditions have

improved over time(past 4 decades)

o Poor households=not overcrowded, “good repair”, can afford medical care when needed and has good utilities (electronics etc.)

o Census said 30 million Americans were living in “poverty” but weren’t

So was it this justified?

We do not think that was justified because the president forced the natives to move off their own land that belonged to the them. When forced to move the Cherokee Indians couldn’t bring anything from their homes-no precious memories, or their homes that took a long time to build. Today the Natives are living as the lowest of the low in poverty. They live in overcrowded houses with little or no luxuries such as running water or electricity. Diseases are in huge numbers and cause many deaths, they cannot afford medical care and rely on the Health Service. While most Americans are living in giant homes with electricity and phones and running water. 1 in 7 Americans are poor, poor means to live in a not overcrowded house, with necessary appliances such as a refrigerator.

Bibliography

"Indian Removal Act." Primary Documents in American History. Web Guides, n.d. Web. Oct.-Nov. 2013.

"Living Conditions." Native American Aid. National Relief Charities, 28 Feb. 2013. Web. 23 Oct. 2013.

Trail of Tears. Africans in America, n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2013.

"Air Conditioning, Cable Tv, and an Xbox: What Is Poverty in the United States Today?" The Heritage Foundation. N.p., 19 July 2011. Web. 23 Oct. 2013

"Indian Removal." Africans in America. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2013.