Indian Removal Dbq

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America, since it’s establishment, has been considered the land of the free. However, throughout history, the accuracy of that statement must be questioned. Between the Indian Removal Act of 1830 and the extended slavery of Blacks, the true capacity of American savagery was exhibited. Despite the prosperous and beneficial results economically and in terms of expansion, their depravity didn’t come without moral and social consequence. After seeing America's brutal capabilities exhibited in the forced removal of the Indian tribes, as well as in the enslavement of Africans, other countries’ positive views of America diminished. Background Indian removal act
“The removal of American Indian tribes from lands east of the Mississippi River to …show more content…

The Supreme Court recognized that this was breaking treaties made in the past, and that the act itself was blatantly unconstitutional and thus and ruled against it. That didn’t stop President Jackson from moving on with his plan. Andrew Jackson said in a statement in reaction to the courts decision: “John Marshall made his decision, now let him enforce it”. (http://www.pbs.org/wnet/supremecourt/antebellum/history2.html). He recognized that although the Supreme Court had made their decision, they had no way to enforce it. On May 28, 1830, the act became law and the forced removal was set into action. Although intended to be a bloodless, and voluntary migration, it turned out to be quite the opposite. Tribes who resisted and fought back were subject to even worse treatment than those who were subservient right from the start. (http://thomaslegion.net/indianremovalact.html#sthash.K5OUNp55.dpuf) After already having to abandon their entire lives and everything they had worked for, the tribes faced brutal conditions on what is now called, “The Trail of Tears”, a 1,200 mile trek to …show more content…

When colonists realized that they needed extra help in farming the crop, they “turned to African slaves as a cheaper, more plentiful labor source than indentured servants” (http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/slavery). Overtime as technology advanced, the need for slaves became only more apparent as the farmers needed assistance in using their machinery and working in the fields. Over the course of just the 1700’s an estimated 6 to 7 million slaves were imported from Africa. (http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/slavery). Before even arriving on the ship to the New World, Africans were often branded with steaming hot metal and chained together. The conditions on the ship only got worse. “According to Equiano, "The closeness of the place, and the heat of the climate, added to the number in the ship, which was so crowded that each had scarcely room to turn himself, almost suffocated us. This produced copious perspirations, so that the air soon became unfit for respiration, from a variety of loathsome smells, and brought on a sickness among the slaves, of which many died."” It is estimated that close to 20% of the people on the ships died due to the atrocious conditions they were forced to withstand. (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part1/1p277.html). For those who survived the treacherous journey, mere misery awaited them in America. They

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