Question

Consider the following statement: "In preparing for the Cherokee removal, state and federal officials were motivated solely by desire to seize the natives' land." In your post, consider the following:

Does this statement present the full picture? Revise this statement to present a more complex explanation of the motivations that drove state and federal officials (and the white citizens of Georgia) during the years immediately preceding the Cherokee removal. Explain the choices you made in your revision.

Next, consider how you can take a similar approach to your own topic in order to more fully understand the historical complexity. What other viewpoints would you want to further explore in order to more fully understand your topic?

Answer 1

I do not believe that the statement “In preparing for the Cherokee removal, state and federal officials were motivated solely by desire to seize the natives’ land.” is accurate at all. I am actually doing my historical analysis paper on this topic. I have read many articles on this topic and most challenge this statement.
A more accurate statement would be “In preparing for the Cherokee removal, state and federal officials were motivated by many factors.” In my research, I learned that Andrew Jackson had actually allied with the Cherokee Indians during the Battle at Horseshoe Bend. His life was even saved by these Indian spies. While I agree that later in life, when he was elected President of the United States, Jackson did have a desire to seize the tribal lands so that white settlers could claim the land for farming and growing prosperous, he also was trying to protect the Indians from being overrun by the white settlers. He was trying to prevent the Indians from being exposed to illnesses and diseases that they didn’t have the immunity built to fight off. There was also the fact that gold was discovered on Native land, especially in Georgia, that brought out the greed in white settlers. If they crossed onto Native territory to search for gold, the settlers ran the risk of a gruesome murder.
In my research paper, I think I need to focus on one or two historical lenses, rather than just writing. That would help me better hone into the feel of my paper and better help the reader to understand the theme of my paper. If I were to write a paper elaborating all the events of the time frame, the social aspect of the time, political motivations, and the aftermath of the forced move, my paper would likely be fifteen pages long. Unfortunately, I do still have another class that I am also researching a topic for with another final term paper due. Also, if I wrote about all the topics above, there would really be no point in having much of a thesis as I wouldn’t be focusing on just one aspect of this topic.