The Indian Removal Act Of 1830

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The Indian removal act enacted by Congress in 1830 gave the president the authority to grant unsettled lands west of the Mississippi River in exchange for Indian lands within existing state borders. It was meant to be a treaty to be negotiated with the Indians to have them leave voluntarily, but the Indians were forced to leave their homes while the whites looted their property with the help of the militia. The act was enacted to satisfy the poor whites who wanted the land occupied by the Indians. Most of the whites viewed the Indians as uncivilized aliens who should be sent out of their lands, though most of the Indians were civilized and educated at the time. The Indian removal act affected mainly five Indians tribes directly, namely the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole. …show more content…
The Indians were chased out of their lands and made to embark on a difficult and dangerous journey which left many of them dead, hence the term the Trail of tears. They were sent to present day Oklahoma which was regarded as a dry land where nothing grows.
This decision was not necessary because other avenues could be explored to arrive at an amicable solution. The president had an unpleasant history with the native Indians in his younger years and was involved in battles against the Native Indians. This also influenced his decision not to protect the rights of the Indians. The Indian Removal Act was not a positive or necessary thing to do at the time and it was inhuman and a violation of the rights of the