THE AGE OF JACKSON THE INDIAN REMOVAL ACT. AMERICAN HISTORY: Grade 7 Honors

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1 THE AGE OF JACKSON THE INDIAN REMOVAL ACT AMERICAN HISTORY: Grade 7 Honors New York State Standards: Standard 1 United States Standard 3 Geography Standard 4 Economics Standard 5 Civics, Citizenship and Government National Standards: ERA 8: Standard 3A: The extension, restriction, and reorganization of political democracy after Explain why the election of Andrew Jackson was considered a victory for the common man Analyze the impact the impact of the removal and the resettlement on the Native Americans affected by the Indian Removal Act. Objectives: Students will be able to identify and explain the impact of the new political system under Andrew Jackson. Students will be able to evaluate Jackson as a President, using his actions as a basis. CASE STUDY: The Indian Removal Act Key Terms and Vocabulary Suffrage Nominating convention Mudslinging Worchester v. Georgia Court Case Indian Removal Act/Trail of Tears Essential Questions In what ways was Jackson considered a common man? (K) Explain Jacksonian Democracy? (C) Evaluate Jackson s decisions to force Native Americans off their land (E) Big Questions for the Unit How did Jackson s policies affect the political, economic, and social life of the nation? (An) Evaluate: Is Jackson a president whose accomplishments we should celebrate or a president whose failures we should apologize for? (E)

2 Literacy Strategies: Using Graphic Organizers. Discovery of information and ideas through pair-sharing (Student Centered Learning). Multiple modes of instruction. Writing about events. Analyzing primary sources. Homework: Students will analyze a political cartoon about Andrew Jackson v. The Bank AIM: How did the principles of Jacksonian Democracy conflict with the treatment of Native Americans? DO NOW: Which candidate would you vote for? [5 mins] Applying prior knowledge from previous lessons. Using critical thinking to analyze. Both are Andrew Jackson. Some people thought Jackson was great others thought that he did more harm than good. Two sides to Andrew Jackson He is a champion of the Common man, but he did some things that made he hated by others. Over the next few days we will look at some aspects of Jackson s Presidency and you ll be able to judge how you feel about Andrew Jackson. Procedure: Background on Andrew Jackson: Jackson was elected president in 1828 after a heated campaign. Flip over the Do Now. More people are able to vote. Common people are now able to vote. [5 mins] Like there are many different views of Andrew Jackson. Learning Activity: PART I. [5 mins] As a class we will read the introduction to the documents activity. How did early American settlers view the Native Americans? How did Native Americans view the early settlers? Who do you think has a right to the land? Students will analyze one of two documents and answer questions. Then other students will explain their document as students fill in the chart. We will read the two paragraphs as a class. Pausing for discussion. Students will then work in pairs on the questions. Half the students will get one document then we will switch.

3 PART II. [Each student is given 6 mins with their document] Jackson s Case to Congress (Document 1) 1. How would Jackson classify the Native Americans as opposed to the white citizens? 2. In what ways does Jackson feel relocation will benefit the Native Americans? 3. Do you feel the United States has the right to remove the Native Americans? Fill in the notes on the chart describing in your own words the details of the document. PART III. [Each student is given 6 mins to work together on the other document and compare notes] Memorial of the Cherokee Nation (Document 2) 1. What is the Cherokee Nation s reaction to be told to move of the land? 2. How do the Cherokees feel about the new Indian Territory? 3. Do you think the Cherokee s rights are being violated? Fill in the notes on the chart describing in your own words the details of the document. Debrief [10 mins] Recap the chart. Have students vote on who they think is right. Show them the results. Explain the Removal of the Native Americans and how Jackson refused. Ironic hypocrite? Compare to Jackson s ideas of democracy. Look at the map. Explain the writing assignment/assessment. Assessment [6 mins]: Student should be able to tell me: Did the principles of Jacksonian Democracy conflict with the treatment of Native Americans? Hand it in with question sheet.

4 Name: Per. Directions: Read the following bullets for each presidential candidate. Decide which candidate you would vote for if you were an average American citizen. After the War of 1812 and the Era of Good Feelings, which candidate do you think more Americans would vote for? Presidential Candidate #1 Champion of the Common Man relates to the people, self-made success. Fought for the rights of the working man. Defined and created a strong political party that values democracy and freedom. Spreads democratic values and rights to more citizens. Against big business and the rich. For a limited government. Fights against corruption. A National War hero. Argued that all white men have the right to liberty. Destroyed an economic institution of greed and corruption. Explain why or why not you would vote for this person: Presidential Candidate #2: Enemies called him a king and a tyrant. Used more veto power than any other president. Went against Supreme Court s decision. Fired over 200 experienced government employees. Abused the constitution and used it to fit his aims. Accused of spreading corruption in the government. Defied the power and authority of other branches of government. Slaughtered Native Americans in a series of wars. Stripped Native Americans of their land, rights and their dignity. Killed an important economic institution, later creating an economic recession. Explain why or why not you would vote for this person:

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6 ame: Period AIM: : How did the principles of Jacksonian Democracy conflict with the Conflict: treatment ative Americans of Native vs. Americans? White Settlers Conflicts arose between the settlers and the Native Americans because of great differences in their cultures, their beliefs and lifestyles. The settlers felt superior to the Native Americans and viewed them as an obstacle to white settlement, progress and the growth of the new nation. White settlers believed they had a right to the land; Native Americans could not understand the white view of land ownership. The Native Americans believed that they had the right to use the land of their ancestors. They had lived on the land for generations. Analyzing Primary Sources Directions: You will be reading some primary sources on this conflict. One document will be Jackson s reasons for Indian Removal, the other will be The Cherokee Nation s defense of their land. 1. You will each read your document and answer your own questions. 2. After reading the article fill out the chart on the next page, summarize the details of your document. 3. Then, you will be given time to share your thoughts and your notes with your partner.

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8 Name: Period Jackson s Case to Congress 4. How would Jackson classify the Native Americans as opposed to the white citizens? 5. In what ways does Jackson feel relocation will benefit the Native Americans? 6. Do you feel the United States has the right to remove the Native Americans? Memorial of the Cherokee Nation 4. What is the Cherokee Nation s reaction to be told to move of the land? 5. How do the Cherokees feel about the new Indian Territory? 6. Do you think the Cherokee s rights are being violated? ********************************************************** Final Thought on Jackson In a brief paragraph [at least 5 sentences], write a reaction to Jackson s actions. Do you feel the principles of Jacksonian Democracy conflicted with the way Native Americans were treated. Why or why not?

9 The Supreme Court s Decision and Jackson s Defiance

10 ANDREW JACKSON S CASE TO CONGRESS FOR THE INDIAN REMOVAL ACT The consequences of a speedy removal will be important to the United States, to individual States, and to the Indians themselves. The pecuniary advantages which it Promises to the Government are the least of its recommendations. It puts an end to all possible danger of collision between the authorities of the General and State Governments on account of the Indians. It will place a dense and civilized population in large tracts of country now occupied by a few savage hunters. By opening the whole territory between Tennessee on the north and Louisiana on the south to the settlement of the whites it will incalculably strengthen the southwestern frontier and render the adjacent States strong enough to repel future invasions without remote aid. It will relieve the whole State of Mississippi and the western part of Alabama of Indian occupancy, and enable those States to advance rapidly in population, wealth, and power. It will separate the Indians from immediate contact with settlements of whites; free them from the power of the States; enable them to pursue happiness in their own way and under their own rude institutions; will retard the progress of decay, which is lessening their numbers, and perhaps cause them gradually, under the protection of the Government and through the influence of good counsels, to cast off their savage habits and become an interesting, civilized, and Christian community. These consequences, some of them so certain and the rest so probable, make the complete execution of the plan sanctioned by Congress at their last session an object of much solicitude.

11 MEMORIAL OF THE CHEROKEE NATION We are aware that some persons suppose it will be for our advantage to remove beyond the Mississippi. We think otherwise. Our people universally think otherwise. We wish to remain on the land of our fathers. We have a perfect and original right to remain without interruption. The treaties and laws made in the United States guarantee our residence, privileges and secure us against these intruders. If we are forced to leave our country, we see nothing but ruin before us. The territory you intend to force us to be assigned is badly supplied with wood and water; and no Indian tribe can live without these articles. The land to which we are urged is not the land of our birth, nor our affections. It contains neither the scenes of our childhood, nor the graves of our fathers. We have been called ignorant and degraded, yet there is no man so ignorant not to know that he has the right to live on the land of his fathers. Nor is there a man so degraded as not to feel the sense of injury, on being deprived of his rights and driven into exile. adapted from Memorial of the Cherokee ation

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