The "Indian Problem"

Summary

The transcript discusses the U.S. government's shift in policy toward Native American nations during the 19th century. Initially framed as treaties of friendship, agreements quickly became one-sided land grabs as the U.S. expanded westward, often employing corrupt and coercive tactics. Native lands were systematically taken, culminating in events like the Trail of Tears, where entire nations were forcibly removed. The devastation of Native cultures, lives, and lands is portrayed as a form of genocide, despite the U.S. rationalizing its actions through concepts like Manifest Destiny and racial superiority.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The U.S. grew rapidly in size and power by the early 19th century, shifting its policies towards Native American nations to focus on land acquisition.
• 🤝 Initially, treaties between the U.S. and Native American nations were based on friendship and reciprocity, but they became one-sided as the U.S. dictated the terms.
• 💰 Corruption, including bribery, alcohol, and coercion, was used to manipulate tribal leaders into signing treaties, earning these agreements the nickname 'bad paper.'
• 🛑 The U.S. appointed false leaders to sign away Native lands, further worsening the imbalance in treaties.
• 🌿 Native Americans viewed the land as an integral part of their identity, making forced removal especially devastating for their way of life.
• ⛓ The Indian Removal Act, central to Andrew Jackson’s political agenda, forced tribes to choose between sovereignty and their land, leading to mass relocations.
• 🛤 The infamous Trail of Tears was one of many tragic removal events that resulted in the death and suffering of thousands of Native Americans.
• 👼 Manifest Destiny justified the U.S. expansion, with settlers believing it was their God-given right to take over the land from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
• 🔨 Removal was seen as an act of destruction, disrupting Native ways of life and causing massive loss of culture, resources, and lives.
• 🔥 Despite the devastation, Native Americans carried their cultural 'fire' with them to new lands, symbolizing survival and resilience.

Q & A

What was the primary interest of the United States in treaty-making with Native Nations during the 19th century?

The primary interest of the United States in treaty-making was to acquire Indian land. The treaties, originally based on friendship and reciprocity, became one-sided as the U.S. dictated the terms, aiming to take over Native land.

How did the United States manage to secure treaties with Native Nations?

The U.S. used corrupt tactics to secure treaties, including bribery, individual payments to tribal leaders, alcohol to influence decisions, and coercion. False leaders were appointed to sign away tribal land, making treaties known as 'bad paper.'

How did U.S. officials justify their actions towards Native Americans and the land acquisition?

U.S. officials justified their actions by dehumanizing Native Americans, portraying them as savages and barriers to progress. They argued that leaving land to Native Americans would leave the country a wilderness, rationalizing land acquisition as part of America's destiny.

What was the impact of Manifest Destiny on U.S. expansion and Native American lands?

Manifest Destiny rallied Americans around the belief that they were entitled to expand across North America, seeing it as God's will. This led to the further displacement of Native Nations, as they were considered obstacles to civilization and progress.

What was the significance of the Indian Removal Act of 1830?

The Indian Removal Act, a key part of Andrew Jackson’s political agenda, aimed to force Native Americans to swap their lands east of the Mississippi for land in the west. Despite widespread controversy, it facilitated the removal of tribes and led to the loss of their ancestral homelands.

How did Native Nations react to the Indian Removal Act?

Native Nations universally opposed the Indian Removal Act. Despite their resistance, many were ultimately forced to choose between keeping their sovereignty or their land, resulting in widespread displacement and hardship.

What was the human cost of the forced removals, such as the Trail of Tears?

The forced removals, including the infamous Trail of Tears, were marked by extreme suffering, starvation, disease, and death. Many people died during the journey, including children and the elderly, making the removals devastating for Native communities.

How did the U.S. removal policies affect the cultural and social structures of Native Nations?

The removal policies destroyed Native cultural and social structures. Tribes lost their homes, lands, and resources necessary for survival. They had to adapt to new environments, which significantly altered their ways of life, including their medicines, food sources, and social traditions.

What were some of the long-term consequences of the removal process for Native Nations?

The long-term consequences included the decimation of Native populations and the near-total loss of their ancestral homelands. By the end of the 19th century, only 250,000 Native Americans remained, down from millions before colonization.

Despite the trauma and destruction caused by forced removal, what did Native Nations do to maintain their cultural identity?

Despite the trauma, many Native Nations carried their cultural practices and traditions with them during removal. They rekindled their fires in their new homes, symbolizing the continuation of their cultural identity, despite the forced displacement.

Outlines

00:00

📜 Treaty-Making and Land Acquisition

By the early 19th century, the United States was expanding rapidly, with a strong desire for land, especially from Native American nations. The U.S. began shifting its policies towards Indigenous peoples, focusing treaty-making on land acquisition rather than friendship. This led to increasingly one-sided treaties that favored U.S. interests. Native lands were vital to the people, as they were deeply connected to their identity. However, the U.S. used corrupt tactics, such as bribery, alcohol, and coercion, to get tribal leaders to sign treaties. The treaties were often fraudulent, and the government even appointed false tribal leaders to sign away lands. As the U.S. grew, Native nations lost most of their ancestral homelands.

05:00

🌍 Manifest Destiny and Removal

The U.S. government's expansion across the continent was fueled by the belief in Manifest Destiny—an idea that it was God's will for the nation to stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific. This led to continuous encroachments on Native lands, with new waves of immigrants pushing the frontier further west. Native Americans were seen as obstacles to progress, resulting in the Removal Act under Andrew Jackson. This act, though controversial, forced Native peoples to either assimilate and lose their identity or give up their land. Despite resistance, Native nations were eventually forced to surrender their homes, leading to devastating consequences.

10:05

💔 Trail of Tears and Other Forced Migrations

The forced removal of Native Americans, including the Cherokee Nation’s Trail of Tears, resulted in unimaginable suffering. Entire communities were displaced, their lands, homes, and way of life lost. The journey was harsh, with many people dying from starvation, illness, and violence. Families were torn apart, with children often unable to keep up and being killed. The removal process led to the destruction of Native cultures, as tribes lost access to their traditional resources and knowledge. Though only 250,000 Native Americans remained by the end of the 19th century, survivors carried the fire of their traditions with them, continuing to rekindle their heritage despite the devastation.

Keywords

💡Treaty Making

Treaty making refers to the process of formal negotiation and drafting of agreements between sovereign entities, in this case, the United States and Native American tribes. In the video, it is mentioned that the U.S.'s primary interest in treaty making was to acquire Indian land, which evolved from a relationship of friendship and reciprocity into a one-sided affair where the U.S. dictated the terms. The treaties were used as a means to legitimize land acquisition, often at the expense of the Native American tribes.

💡Manifest Destiny

Manifest Destiny was a widely held belief in the 19th-century United States that the country was destined to expand across the North American continent. The concept is mentioned in the script as a driving force behind the westward expansion and the belief that it was both inevitable and divinely ordained for Americans to spread from the Atlantic to the Pacific. This belief system rationalized the displacement of Native Americans and the acquisition of their lands.

💡Removal Act

The Removal Act, also known as the Indian Removal Act of 1830, was a law passed by the U.S. Congress that facilitated the forced relocation of Native American tribes from the southeastern United States to lands west of the Mississippi River. The script describes the Act as a centerpiece of Andrew Jackson's political agenda and highlights the controversy and resistance it faced, including the infamous 'Trail of Tears' where many Native Americans died during their forced migration.

💡Land Acquisition

Land acquisition in the context of the video refers to the United States' aggressive policy of obtaining land from Native American tribes, often through treaties that were coerced or fraudulent. The video emphasizes the U.S.'s insatiable desire for land, leading to the displacement and suffering of Native American communities. The term is used to illustrate the greed and expansionist policies of the U.S. government during the 19th century.

💡Native American Tribes

Native American tribes are the indigenous peoples who inhabited the land that is now the United States. The video script describes the tribes as having a deep connection to their ancestral lands, which were gradually taken from them through treaties and forced removals. The tribes are portrayed as having a rich cultural heritage and a strong sense of identity that was threatened by the U.S.'s land acquisition policies.

💡Trail of Tears

The Trail of Tears refers to the forced relocation of the Cherokee Nation and other Native American tribes from their ancestral lands in the southeastern United States to designated 'Indian Territory' west of the Mississippi River. The term is used in the script to describe a tragic and brutal event where thousands of Native Americans died due to disease, starvation, and exposure during their forced march.

💡Assimilation

Assimilation in the context of the video refers to the U.S. government's policy of forcing Native Americans to adopt the culture, language, and customs of the dominant white society. The script mentions that Native Americans were given a choice: either give up their land and assimilate or maintain their sovereignty but lose their land. This policy was part of a broader effort to erase Native American cultures and identities.

💡Sovereignty

Sovereignty, as used in the video, refers to the inherent authority and autonomy of Native American tribes to govern themselves and their lands. The script discusses how the U.S. government's policies often forced tribes to choose between maintaining their sovereignty or retaining their lands, illustrating a loss of self-determination and the erosion of tribal rights.

💡Corruption

Corruption in the context of the video pertains to the dishonest and fraudulent tactics used by U.S. officials during treaty negotiations with Native American tribes. The script describes how bribery, coercion, and the appointment of false tribal leaders were employed to secure treaties that ceded land to the United States, undermining the integrity of the process and the trustworthiness of the treaties.

💡Dispossession

Dispossession refers to the forced removal or taking away of land or property from its rightful owners. In the video, dispossession is a central theme, detailing how Native American tribes were systematically deprived of their ancestral lands through treaties, the Removal Act, and other coercive measures. The term highlights the loss and suffering experienced by the tribes as a result of U.S. expansionist policies.

💡Civilization

Civilization, as mentioned in the video, is a term used by the U.S. to describe the cultural and societal advancements that were believed to be the exclusive domain of white settlers. The script contrasts the idea of 'civilization' with the portrayal of Native Americans as 'savages' and 'barriers to progress,' justifying their displacement and the destruction of their cultures in the name of 'civilizing' the land.

Highlights

The United States used treaties primarily to acquire Indian land, with the power dynamics shifting from friendship and reciprocity to one-sided agreements.

There is a false mythology that pilgrims brought land with them; in reality, the land was already owned by Native Nations.

U.S. officials employed corrupt tactics such as bribery, alcohol, and coercion to secure treaties with Native Nations.

The U.S. government appointed false tribal leadership to sign away Native lands in fraudulent treaties.

Manifest Destiny, the belief that Americans were destined by God to expand across the continent, fueled the justification for seizing Native lands.

Despite numerous treaties and land concessions, Native people were still seen as obstacles to progress, leading to the 'Indian problem.'

The Indian Removal Act, championed by Andrew Jackson, forced tribes to choose between losing their land or their sovereignty.

Native tribes were forced to move west of the Mississippi, which was rationalized as a way to avoid conflicts with American settlers.

Tribal leaders and communities fiercely resisted removal, but many chose relocation to preserve their people and identity.

The Cherokee Trail of Tears is the most famous example of forced removal, but other tribes faced similar violent and deadly relocations.

Native people suffered from starvation, disease, and violence during forced removals, resulting in countless deaths.

By the end of the 19th century, the Native American population had dwindled to just 250,000 due to forced removals and other atrocities.

Removal caused the loss of Native knowledge about their lands, including medicinal practices and food sources, leading to cultural destruction.

The displacement of Native people from their ancestral lands is recognized as an act of genocide by some Native leaders.

Despite the devastation, Native people carried their spiritual and cultural traditions with them, symbolized by rekindling the fire in their new homes.

Transcripts

by the early 19th century the US was

rapidly growing both in size and power

land hungry and ambitious the new

country was also drastically changing

his policies towards the Indian nations

and nowhere was this more evident than

in the trees the United States primary

interest in treaty making was to acquire

Indian land and so the treaties were

used for that purpose especially as the

United States found itself in a position

to pretty much dictate the terms of the

treaty and so the treaties morphed from

this friendship and reciprocity sort of

relationship into a very one-sided thing

there's almost a mythology about this

that somehow when the pilgrims arrived

they were dragging land behind them

there was no land brought here the land

here was Native Nations and this is what

the United States needed it's what it

wanted they wanted all of them they

wanted everything the greed came in oh

we have a little tract here now now we

need a little more and well we need to

go make another treaty we didn't

understand that eventually those treaty

making processes ended up to the

acquisition of all of our ancestral

homeland

that land was a part of us I then helped

us be that land was who we were and who

we are the command of removal came

unexpectedly upon most of us there was a

time that we noticed several overloaded

wagons were passing our home that we did

not grasp the meaning then one day

wagons stopped we were to be taken away

and leave our homes never to return to

get what they wanted

US officials brokered treaties through

any means available their tactics were

so corrupt that the once trusted

treaties became quickly known as bad

paper

there were people at these treaty

negotiations who would do anything to

get an agreement on the table and so

there was very routinely bribery

individual payments made to tribal

leaders alcohol would be used with

people in an agreeable frame of mind and

even coercion to say to people you must

sign this agreement or else every means

of trickery and fraud was employed

against Native Nations the United States

would appoint a false leadership people

who had no right to speak for the tribe

and say you're the leader of this tribe

signed this paper giving away all your

land as the century progressed the

treaties became more and more lopsided a

far cry from the parallel paths of the

goose winter despite appeals from the

Indian nations the u.s. kept on its new

trajectory rationalizing its aggressive

actions along the way

they have neither the intelligence the

industry the moral habits nor the desire

of improvement

the tribes of Indians inhabiting this

country were fierce savages to leave

them in possession of their country was

to leave the country a wilderness it's

important in the great American

mythology to describe the Americas as

wilderness because of its wilderness

then there's really nobody to

dispossessed it was okay to come here

and prosper and conveniently forget that

there were already people and

civilizations in place

at first we had something to eat

but that gave out and we were starving

we came to a slippery elm tree and ate

the bark of that lots took sick and died

as Americans successfully pushed the

bounds of the frontier they not only

believed that they were destined to take

over the land and prosper they believed

that God was the one who put them there

to do it

they believe that it was God's will that

the United States should be a

continental nation stretching from the

Atlantic to the Pacific

as each wave of immigration would come

they move into an area the United States

would then make some sort of arrangement

with the tribe to get that land from

them and then more would come and they'd

advance the frontier even further

the power of manifest destiny of

expansion of inevitability God's

providence helped rally people around

not only the idea of Americans as

entitled to North America but rallied

them around the idea that Indian people

were barriers to civilization and

barriers to progress no matter how many

treaties were signed or how much land

they gave to the United States the

Indian was still in the way this was

known as the Indian problem this

so-called problem continued despite a

decades-old policy to force Indians to

swap their land east of the Mississippi

for land west of it the Indians would

then move to those western parts and

away from the Americans this plan was

simply called removal the Removal Act

was the centerpiece of Andrew Jackson's

political agenda and was very

controversial at the time it was very

widely debated there was lots of

discussion across the country and very

many prominent people spoke up against

it the American government steel will it

lie will it kill

I have no desire to see the poor

remnants of a once powerful people

the removal bill represents oppression

with a vengeance

the removal process it was alright

you've made these treaties now you can

have one of two things you can keep your

sovereignty but you can't keep your land

if you keep your land and you have to

assimilate and no longer be Indian you

will have sovereignty or you have your

land you can't have both across the

United States the Removal Act divided

the country but across the Indian

nations reaction was unanimous we are

surrounded by white people and there are

encroachments made what assurances have

we that similar ones will not be made on

us should we remove to the Mississippi

look here father our lands belong to us

we shall keep them we do not wish to

talk to you anymore

we had already been fighting to keep

that land and sure enough when the

government was coming in there to take

us out of that land we fought even more

but at some point you have to realize

that this fighting is all gonna be about

death and death is coming

then I need to be detecting my family

and I want my children to survive so we

have to endure this removal many of the

tribes did choose to accept removal as a

means of maintaining the tribal nation

what choice was there

after decades of engagement they could

no longer resist

and so they gave up their lands they

gave up their homes they gave up their

fields and forests they gave up

literally their way of life in order to

be able to stay together and be what

they were we are poor but we are free

no white man controls our footsteps some

try to assimilate to avoid removal some

were removed completely but in the end

every nation met the same fate every

nation and to give up land brothers you

cannot remain where you are now you have

but one remedy within your reach and

that is to remove to the west may the

Great Spirit teach you how to choose the

loss of land was devastating and so was

the loss of lives the most famous of

these incidents was the Cherokee

nation's Trail of Tears but there were

numerous other trails just as violent

injustice crushing everyone had to walk

my baby brother Joel was four years old

I was just eight but I took my turn at

carrying him because he could not walk

much I would get so tired I think I was

going to die but I would hang on to him

I was so afraid they would kill him I

saw them kill babies who were too big to

be carried and would give out

that really was a road of death people

were falling on the side of the road or

being shot are being murdered on the

road and being left there the removal

process was done in a way that was not

efficient in making people survive of

the millions of Indian people that lived

before the first colonists arrived but

the end of the 19th century only 250,000

remained the removal of a tribe was

certain to destroy all of the things

they knew about taking care of

themselves all their medicines all of

their foods everything about them had to

change in order to survive it can only

be understood as an act of destruction

when you move a people from one place to

another when you displace people when

you wrench people from their homelands

wasn't that genocide we don't make the

case that there was genocide we know

there was yet here we are when we were

forced to leave our land we took the

fires with us we took the embers along

then when we got to Oklahoma

we rekindled build fire old home or new

home it is the same fire

you