Indian Removal and the Trail of Tears

Indian Removal Act• President Jackson pushes

Congress to force Indians to move west of the Mississippi

• Congress established Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) as the new Indian homeland

Cherokee Indians

• Lived peacefully in the Appalachian Mountains of Georgia and Tennessee

• Adopted culture of whites - wrote and spoke English

• Had own written language and newspaper

• Based their government on the U.S. Constitution

Cherokee Sue For Land

• Cherokee sued the government of Georgia for taking their land

• Worcester vs. Georgia - Supreme Court rules Georgia’s actions are illegal and that the Cherokee can stay

Trail of Tears Assignment• Pick one of the following to do --

• Write a diary entry about what it would be like to be forced from you home. Must be at least one page long.

• Write a letter to President Jackson explaining your position on Indian removal. Remember you are addressing the president and should be polite, appropriate and include facts to back up your ideas. Must be at least one page long

Watch these videos and answer question on back

• http://www.pbs.org/kcet/andrewjackson/video/video_pop.html?id=21&KeepThis=true&TB_iframe=true&height=335&width=500

• http://www.pbs.org/kcet/andrewjackson/video/video_pop.html?id=15&KeepThis=true&TB_iframe=true&height=335&width=500