The Indians' Perspective

1. Tried to adopt the ways of the white man to be able to “fit in” and keep some of what they had – became full time farmers, cultivated cotton, slave ownership
2. Gave up their culture and educating their children in their ways
3. White man not to be trusted – broke promises, cheated, lied
4. Sequoyah – the Indian who came up with the written language of the Cherokee –the first Indian group to express ideas in written form – communication between all its people
5. Jackson’s Indian Removal Policy- unfair, backstabbing

Trail of Tears Map

What story do you think is being told in this picture? Start at the top with the couple together and go right.
Longer than long ago, a Cherokee man and woman set out to town. For four days and nights they traveled until they came to the town. The woman watching the man became angry when she saw him slipping away to go and gamble at the chunky game.
She picked up the man’s stone axe and made angry war on his head. Then she dragged him home and did not go to town again for a long time.
The cloud and rain in the center are a symbol for stormy weather.

What is the cartoonist trying to say with the following cartoons?


The giant Cherokee Nation was toppled by a lot of people chipping away at the parts, finally killing it.



Whenever new people come, they want to change everything to their ways, regardless of the way things are.


Andrew Jackson acted like a king instead of a president, not caring about the Constitution and the people's opinions.
1. Felt the settlers thought they had greater right to the land and were superior
2. Manifest Destiny – expansion not only good, but necessary; destined to happen and we were destined to do it
3. Refused to accept boundaries agreed to by treaties
4. Discovery of gold only sealed the deal
5. Jackson’s Indian Removal Policy- unfair, backstabbing
6. John Ross – Cherokee leader -  Major Ridge – gave away the farm



Sequoyah, after 12 years of work, produced the written “talking leaves.” 85 symbols represented all the sounds in the Cherokee language.


The Cherokee’s went to the Supreme Court to fight that the Indian Removal Act was unconstitutional.
The Supreme Court found the treaty rights had been violated, but Jackson refused to accept their ruling and wouldn’t enforce it (his job as part of the Executive Branch)

Read the song below to answer the questions.
Cherokee Nation Song
By: Paul Revere and the Raiders
They took the whole Cherokee Nation, put us on a reservation.
You took away our ways of life, the tomahawk and a bow and knife.
You took away our native tongue, and taught their English to our young.
And all the beads we made by hand, are nowadays made in Japan.
Refrain:
Cherokee people, Cherokee tribe, so proud to live, so proud to die.
They took the whole Indian Nation, locked us on this reservation.
Though I wear a shirt and tie, I’m still part red-man deep inside.
Refrain:
Cherokee people, Cherokee tribe, so proud to live, so proud to die.
But maybe someday when they’ve learned, Cherokee Nation will return,
will return, will return, will return, will return…

1. What are three aspects of Cherokee culture that changed as a result of contact with the White settlers?

2. What lesson do you think the Cherokees hope that the White Man has learned, or anyone from them that inflicts their views/ways of life on another?

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