Brothers Of The Cherokee Nation Analysis

It is well known within the lexicon of American history, which begins with the first colonists’ arrival from Europe, the Native Americans settled the United States ages before the colonists from Europe arrived. Even after the 13 colonies had formed and claimed their independence from Great Britain and the crown, Native Americans still held much of the territory west of the newly freed eastern colonies. However, the westward expansion of America by the colonists became a certainty after President Thomas Jefferson purchased the land known today as the United States of America from the French. Dubbed the Louisiana Purchase, which has become synonymous with the Lewis and Clark expedition, Thomas Jefferson not only gained land, but also a host of …show more content…
In, “Brothers of the Cherokee Nation,” Jefferson expresses his gratitude to the Cherokee tribesmen that came all the way from the Louisiana Territory, in the midwest, for coming to see him (Jefferson). Just like his previous addresses, Jefferson maintains his policy of acquiring lands from the Native Americans based on their terms and not through force or coercion. However, the same pattern of revealing the true relationship between the colonists and Native Americans is also present within this address. Although the Indian policy that Jefferson advocated would indeed foster a union of peace, Jefferson neglected from going into detail about the fragile alliance between Indians and Americans that was present around the 18th and 19th centuries. When Jefferson asserts, “Finding our people in the river they will rob them, perhaps kill them. This would bring on a war between us and you” (Jefferson, 7). Here, Jefferson refers to the young Indian men in the Mississippi territory that reject western expansion and attack neighboring tribes that do not feel as they do. Although Jefferson claims that he will not use force to obtain lands from the Native Americans, when he proclaims that he will wage war on the Indians if any colonists are attacked, he revealed who he truly believes to be his people. Even though he referred to the Indians as his “red brothers” in preceding addresses to other tribes, that statement is discredited by the likelihood war, which Jefferson realizes as a possibility. Overall, although Jefferson truly wished to acquire lands from the Native Americans through proper channels, he was not above simply taking it from them through war or other creative means. This, and the instability of the Native American and colonist alliance, is revealed throughout the addresses and

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Brothers Of The Cherokee Nation Analysis

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