Indian Removal

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The once great tribes of Native Americans are now all gone from the land in which their forefathers were born in. This act of ethnic-cleansing was called the Indian Removal Act. This law authorized the removal of Native Americans to move to the west of the Mississippi River in exchange for land. Although this act lead to the growth of America, the Native Americans shouldn’t have had to relocate. The Native Americans shouldn’t have relocated because they were becoming more civilized, because they were on the land first, and they were not safely transported as the government promised.

To begin with, the Native Americans were becoming more civilized. The Cherokees began to act and dress more like the white Americans. This can be seen in the following quote, “ First I tell you about the Cherokees. I think they improve. I hope they will soon become civilized and enlightened.” (Sally M. Reece, letter to Reverend Campbell). This quote demonstrated that the Cherokees, a group of Indians, are becoming more civilized. These Native Americans are making effort to keep and live in their land, and it wouldn’t make sense to send them away from these missionaries that are helping them. If they are to relocate, then the Cherokees would lose all this. They would revert back to their old traditions if they were to be surrounded by other Native Americans and if they were excluded from American civilization. While it is true that some Native Americans were becoming more civilized, not every group was. Of the big group of five Native Americans, only the Cherokee were showing an actual effort. However, if the other Indians see the Cherokee prospering and keeping their land, then they will follow in example. Without a doubt, the Native Americans shou...

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..., yet they still drove out the Indians from their rightful land. However, the government could have issued a stricter security for the Native Americans. This would allow the lives of many Native Americans to be spared during the Trail of Tears. Undoubtedly, the unsafe transportation should have not allowed the relocation of Native Americans.

To conclude, the relocation of the Native Americans should have not happened. This once powerful cultural group fell under the Americans. There was so much potential for the Indians to become civilized, and it was a big waste to send them away to Georgia. The Indian Removal Act should have not been passed because they were becoming more civilized, the land was the Native Americans to begin with, and because their transport was not safe as Jackson promised. The Native Americans should have not relocated for these many reasons.

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