Who Am I
Ashley Guinn
ETH/125
10/07/2013
Robert Knobs

Who Am I
My name is Ashley Guinn and my great-grandmother was a full-blooded Cherokee Indian, so naturally I am a descendant of the Cherokee Native Americans. I may not have but 1/8 of their blood, but they are a part of my ancestry. As I conduct my research, I have a much better understanding of the discrimination my ancestors faced as well as the harsh and brutal treatment that led to many tribes being forced from the land that had been theirs for generations. Since the arrival of Christopher Columbus, Native Americans have suffered through much fear and resentment. Members of the American Republic like George Washington thought that the best way to handle the “Indian problem” was to introduce Christianity into their culture, teach them to read and speak English, and other common European practices such as individual ownership of land: in effect “civilizing” them. These ideals were embraced the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole, Creek, and Cherokee who came to be known as the “Five Civilized Tribes.” Regardless men who sought the rich and fertile land did not care how “civilized” they were and resorted to almost any extreme to obtain them. They stole livestock, burned and looted towns, or simply took over the lands they wanted. State governments began to pass laws limiting Native American rights and encroached on their land. In a few cases such as Cherokee Nation vs. Georgia (1831) and Worcester vs. Georgia (1832), the U.S. Supreme Court objected to this and affirmed that native nations were sovereign nations “in which the laws of Georgia [and other states] can have no force.” Nevertheless, Andrew Jackson, who was a strong advocate of “Indian removal”, would not enforce the rulings of the Supreme Court. As an Army general, he had led many campaigns against the Creeks in Georgia and Alabama, and the Seminoles in Florida causing hundreds of thousands of acres of land to be freely given to white farmers. As president, he signed the Indian Removal Act in 1830, which allowed the federal government to relocate natives to the “Indian colonization zone” west of the Mississippi from their lands on the eastern side. This land is located in present day Oklahoma. Although the law required fair, nonviolent, and voluntary removal, it was frequently ignored and eventually, in the winter of 1831, the Choctaw became the first nation to be completely expelled from their land. Their relocation to the “Indian colonization zone” was entirely on foot, and as reported by one newspaper, some were “bound in chains and marched double file.” They received no aid whatsoever from the government such as food, provisions, or medicine, resulting in the deaths of thousands of men, women, and children from disease and malnutrition. According to one surviving Choctaw leader, it was “a trail of tears and death.” This was not the end of the brutal treatment received by Native Americans. “Indian removal” continued in 1836 by driving the Creeks from their land. 3500 out of 15000 died on the trip. The Cherokees were divided on how to deal with the government. Some wished to stay and fight while others thought it would be best to leave in exchange for money and other concessions. In 1835, non-official representatives of the Cherokee nation negotiated the Treaty of New Echota, which traded all lands east of the Mississippi for 5 million dollars, relocation assistance, and compensation for lost property. The federal government agreed, but many Cherokees did not agree being they were non-consensually represented. As explained in a petition written to the federal government by the principal chief, John Ross; “The instrument in question is not the act of our nation. We are not parties to its covenants; it has not received the sanction of our people.” Nearly 16000 people signed this petition, but their protests were ignored and the exodus of their people continued unhindered. By 1838 only 2000 had left, so President Martin Van Buren sent General Winfield Scott with 7000 soldiers to expedite the rest. They were held at gunpoint while their homes were looted and burned. They were marched 1200 miles to the Indian Territory, suffering along the way from whooping cough, dysentery, cholera, and starvation. An estimated 5000 died on the journey. By 1840 tens of thousands had been relocated, and their promised territory continued to dwindle until in 1907 Oklahoma became a state and Indian Territory was gone for good.

http://history.com/topics/trail-of-tears