Overview
This lecture examines Cherokee history from before European contact through the forced removal known as the Trail of Tears, emphasizing Native perspectives, leadership, legal battles, and survival.
Cherokee Origins and Early Challenges
- The Cherokee believed their ancestral land was divinely appointed and shaped by sacred stories.
- Initial threats came from other tribes and later, American settlers after the Revolution.
- The Cherokee side with the British in the American Revolution, suffering severe retribution from the U.S.
- By 1805, the Cherokee population and territory were greatly diminished.
Adaptation and Assimilation Efforts
- The U.S. promoted a “civilization” policy, encouraging Native tribes to adopt Anglo-American practices.
- The Cherokee adopted farming, Western education, and Christianity, hoping for legal and social equality.
Key Leaders: Major Ridge, John Ridge, and John Ross
- Major Ridge and John Ross became leading figures, guiding adaptation efforts and diplomatic negotiations.
- John Ridge received a formal American education and married a white woman, but faced persistent prejudice.
- John Ross, fluent in English and Cherokee, became a unifying leader, trusted by both mixed-blood elites and full-blood Cherokees.
Building a Modern Cherokee Nation
- The Cherokee established a central government, a written constitution, and introduced written Cherokee, thanks to Sequoyah.
- The Cherokee Nation adopted democratic structures similar to the U.S., asserting its sovereignty.
Threats from the State of Georgia and the U.S. Government
- Georgia refused to recognize Cherokee sovereignty after the 1827 constitution, especially after gold was found on Cherokee land.
- Andrew Jackson’s presidency and the Indian Removal Act of 1830 marked a shift toward forced removal.
- The U.S. Supreme Court (Worcester v. Georgia) upheld Cherokee sovereignty, but Jackson refused to enforce the ruling.
Internal Cherokee Conflict
- Major Ridge and his faction believed removal was inevitable and signed the Treaty of New Echota, ceding land for money and relocation.
- John Ross and the majority opposed removal and sought to overturn the treaty.
The Trail of Tears
- Forced removal began in 1838; over 12,000 Cherokees were marched west under harsh conditions.
- Approximately 4,000 Cherokees died during the journey due to exposure, disease, and starvation.
Aftermath and Legacy
- Internal conflict led to the assassination of Ridge faction leaders.
- John Ross helped rebuild Cherokee institutions and preserve sovereignty in Indian Territory.
- Despite suffering, the Cherokee Nation rebuilt, maintained traditions, and nearly doubled in population by 1860.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Trail of Tears — Forced removal of the Cherokee Nation to lands west of the Mississippi River, resulting in immense suffering and death.
- Indian Removal Act (1830) — Law authorizing the forced relocation of Native tribes.
- Worcester v. Georgia — Supreme Court case affirming Cherokee sovereignty.
- Treaty of New Echota — 1835 treaty ceding Cherokee land in the Southeast for land west of the Mississippi.
- Sequoyah — Cherokee who created a written syllabary for the Cherokee language.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the Cherokee Constitution and the text of Worcester v. Georgia.
- Read about the impact of the Indian Removal Act on other “Civilized Tribes.”
- Prepare for a discussion or essay on the ethical and legal implications of the Indian Removal policy.