Native Americans From Before First Contact to the

Native Americans: From Before First Contact to the ‘Trail of Tears’

Human Population of the Americas in 1491 n How many people? We don’t know, but estimates have changed dramatically. James Mooney estimated 1 million in North America (published 1928) n Alfred Kroeber estimated 8. 4 million in the Americas (published in 1930 s) n By 1950 s, some estimates much higher n

Human Population of the Americas in 1491 (2) Cook and Boorah estimate population of central Mexican plateau was 25 million n Dobyns estimates population of hemisphere was between 90 and 112 million n More than in Europe in same period Numbers remain controversial, but higher estimates gaining support

Human Population of the Americas in 1491 (3) n If so many people, where did they go? n Disease (population believed to have fallen by 90% within century of first contact) (From 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus, by Charles Mann, 2005)

Northwest Ordinance of 1787 Act of Congress of the Confederation n Created Northwest Territory as the 1 st organized territory of the U. S. n America would expand by adding new states, not by expanding existing states n Population of 60, 000 needed to propose statehood n

Early Political Parties n Federalist Favored strong national govt n Expansion of industrial economy and national bank n Stronger ties with Great Britain n n Democratic-Republican Favored states' rights n Strict adherence to the Constitution n Opposed national bank and wealthy, moneyed interests. n Favored agriculture n Stronger ties with France n

(First Presidents) n George Washington 1789 -1797 NO PARTY n n John Adams 1797 - 1801 FEDERALIST n n (John Adams VP) (Thomas Jefferson VP) Thomas Jefferson 1801 -1809 DEMOCRATIC-REPUBLICAN n (Aaron Burr/George Clinton VP)

Presidents cont. n James Madison 1809 -1817 n n James Monroe 1817 -1825 n n (DEM-REP) John Quincy Adams 1825 -1829 n n (DEM-REP) Andrew Jackson 1829 -1837 n (DEMOCRATIC)

Louisiana Purchase Jefferson opposed development of a strong national government n However, he used power and $ of national government boldly to expand west of the Appalachians n 1803, sent James Monroe to Paris to buy city of New Orleans from France n Napoleon sold all of Louisiana for $15 mil n

n About ¼ of the U. S. territory today n 1803 currency = less than 3 cents/acre n n (58 cents/acre in today’s currency) Napoleon Bonaparte, upon completion of the agreement, stated, "This accession of territory affirms forever the power of the United States, and I have given England a maritime rival who sooner or later will humble her pride. "

Manifest Destiny Term first used by journalist and political commentator John O'Sullivan in 1839. "And that claim [to territory] is by right of our manifest destiny to overspread and to possess the whole of the continent which Providence has given us for the development of the great experiment of liberty and federated self-government entrusted to us. " In 1846, Representative Robert Winthrop spoke against the concept: "I suppose the right of a manifest destiny to spread will not be admitted to exist in any nation except the universal Yankee nation. "

U. S. Government and Native Americans n Thomas Jefferson (U. S. President 1801 -09) n Viewed Natives as ‘noble savages’ n Gives them choice: Become farmers and assimilate or move beyond Mississippi River n Andrew Jackson (U. S. President 1829 -37) n Viewed natives as hostile, inferior n No choice (wanted Native Americans expelled beyond Mississippi)

G. Washington 1789 -1797 n J. Adams 1797 -1801 n T. Jefferson 1801 -1809 n J. Madison 1809 -1817 n J. Monroe 1817 -1825 n J. Q. Adams 1825 -1829 n A. Jackson 1829 -1837 n

Andrew Jackson (1829 -1837) n “Old Hickory” n War of 1812 1 st “common man” to become president n Hero of Seminole Wars n

“Jacksonian Democracy” n Democratic Republicans split into two camps n Jacksonian Democrats n Enhance power of the executive branch n Limited federal govt. – Jackson used his veto more than all 6 previous presidents combined n More power to common people n Natl. Republicans, then Whig Party (1830 s-50 s) Modernization and economic protectionism n Referred to Jackson as “King Andrew I” n

n Supreme Court upholds right of discovery (1823) n Congress passes Indian Removal Act (1830) n Provided funds and land to negotiate treaties

Indian Removal Act of 1830 Supreme Court upheld right of discovery (1823) n Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw and Seminole lived on fertile land in SC, GA, FL, AL, MS, and TN n Congress gave Jackson authority to offer Indians Louisiana Purchase land money in return for their own land n 100, 000 Indians were forcibly relocated n For their 100 million acres of fertile land, they received 32 million acres of prairie in OK n

Indian Removal Act of 1830 Jackson argued it was “not only liberal, but generous” n Arguments based on rights of states to govern within their own borders n 1831 – He ordered troops to forcibly remove the Sauk and Fox from IL and MS n 1832 – Forced Chickasaw to leave their lands in AL and MS n

Cherokee Nation v. Georgia (1831) n Georgia moves to expel Native Americans n n Disbanded tribal legislatures and court Cherokee appealed to U. S. Supreme Court Tribe argued the Supreme Court should have jurisdiction because they were “foreign nations” n Court refused to hear the case, but… n Ruled that tribes were “domestic dependant nations” n

Worcester v. Georgia (1832) n 1832, Cherokees brought their case to the Supreme Court through a missionary from Vermont, Samuel Worcester n Needed a Georgia State permit to enter the rez. Chief Justice John Marshall ruled that Georgia had no authority over Cherokee territory n Distinct Political Community, a Sovereign Nation of people independent of the State n n (Like a state)

Georgia ignored the ruling n President Jackson refused to abide by the Supreme Court decision, saying: “John Marshall has made his decision; now let him enforce it. ”

U. S. Government and Native Americans Worcester v. Georgia (1832) – Marshall court ruled only federal gov’t (not states) had jurisdiction over tribes and also had obligation to protect their welfare Treaty of New Echota (1835) – U. S. negotiated with minority faction of Cherokee for $5 M and land in West Most Cherokee refuse deal, but army sent to expel them, resulting in “Trail of Tears”

Trail of Tears In 1838, under President Martin Van Buren, the U. S. Army rounded up more than 15, 000 Cherokee n Men, women, and children, mostly on foot, traveled for 116 days to Indian Territory n n n 800 mile trip Each family issued 1 blanket n ¼ Cherokees died of cold or disease

James K. Polk and Manifest Destiny Realized (1845 -1849) n Polk won the Democratic Party nomination for president in 1844 because of his support for expansion. n Party’s platform stated: “the re-occupation of Oregon and the re-annexation of Texas at the earliest practical period are great American measures. ”

James Polk and Manifest Destiny

Pride and Shame?