#204 Jackson on Indian Removal

Portrait of Andrew Jackson by Alexander Hay Ritchie (1860). United States Library of Congress.

"Andrew Jackson, The Great Father," cartoon (c.1830).

Preparation

• Before class students will have read “Andrew Jackson’s Speech to Congress on Indian Removal, December 6, 1830” in the Course Reader as well as Foner, pages 301-04.

Front matter

• CIQ reports
• Notetaker

Word association review

• Either take out a piece of paper or open up a Google Doc where you feel comfortable taking quick notes. Listen to the word and write down the first relevant name that comes to mind when you hear the term. Note: This is not a graded exercise.
  • Federalist Party
    
  • Agrarian democracy
  • Indian removal
  • Declaration of Independence
  • Nullification
  • Judicial review

Jackson on Indian removal

• Begin by working with a partner to construct a simple chart of President Jackson’s arguments regarding Indian removal. Hint: most of the information for this chart can be found in his second paragraph of the document.
  
• We will review this perspectives together as a launching point for our conversation.

Advantages of Indian removal for white Americans	Advantages of Indian removal for Indians
(List examples)	(List examples)

Further questions for discussion

• In what ways are Jackson’s arguments in the left-hand column consistent or inconsistent with Jefferson’s vision for America’s future?
• How do you think Indians might respond to the arguments made in the right-hand column?
• In the second paragraph, Jackson characterizes Indians as possessing “rude institutions” and propose they should “cast off their savage habits and become an interesting, civilized, and Christian community.” What do you think he means by negative terms like “rude” or “savage” on one hand, and what do you think it would it take for Indians to become “civilized” on the other?
• In the third paragraph, Jackson equates the westward movement of Indians with the westward movement of ancestors of white Americans. Is that a fair analogy?
• Is Jackson’s proposition to the Indians as “benevolent” as he makes it out to be? Why or why not?
• What alternatives might exist to Jackson’s policy? Do you think assimilating Indian populations into the U.S. would have been a viable strategy? Is it reasonable to ask them to assimilate? In what ways might a discussion of “assimilation” arise today?

Homework: #205