Impact on Native Americans
As American settlers moved west, they encroached on Native American lands and increased conflict with the Native American peoples. Read and analyze each of these excerpts from primary sources of the period. How does each individual view the encroachment of American settlers on Native American lands?
Andrew Jackson to John McKee, 1794
I fear that their Peace Talks are only Delusions and in order to put us off our guard. Why treat with them? Does not experience teach us that Treaties answer no other purpose than opening an easy door for the Indians to pass [through to] butcher our citizens... Congress [should act] justly and punish the barbarians for murdering her innocent citizens; has not our [citizens] been prosecuted for marching to their [town] and killing some of them?...[The] Indians appear very troublesome [on the] frontier. [Settlers are] Discouraged and breaking and [num]bers [of them] leaving the Territory and moving [to] Kentucky. This country is declining [fast] and unless Congress lends us a more am[ple] protection this country will have at length [to break] or seek a protection from some other sources than the present.
- Andrew Jackson to John McKee, 1794
Andrew Jackson denied that Native Americans had rights to the land. He believed they were treacherous, and accused them of using violating peace treaties by attacking innocent white settlers. Jackson wanted the federal government to use force against the Native Americans and to protect the settlers on the frontier.
Thomas Jefferson, 1803
When they [American Indians] withdraw themselves to the culture of a small piece of land, they will perceive how useless to them are extensive forests and will be willing to pare them [pieces of land] off from time to time in exchange for necessities for their farms and families. Should any tribe be foolhardy enough to take up the hatchet at any time, the seizing of the whole country of that tribe and driving them across the Mississippi as the only condition of peace, would be an example to others and a furtherance of our final consolidation.
- Thomas Jefferson, 1803
Thomas Jefferson believed that Native Americans should give up their hunting grounds and learn to farm like white people on small plots of land. If any tribe took up arms and refused to assimilate, Jefferson recommended seizing their land and driving them west of the Mississippi River.
Tecumseh to the Cherokee, 1811
Everywhere our people have passed away, as the snow of the mountains melts in May. We no longer rule the forest. The game has gone like our hunting grounds. Even our lands are nearly all gone. Yes, my brothers, our campfires are few. Those that still burn we must draw together.
Behold what the white man has done to our people! Gone are the Pequot, the Narraganset, the Powhatan, the Tuscarora and the Coree.... We can no longer trust the white man. We gave him our tobacco and our maize. What happened? Now there is hardly land for us to grow these holy plants.
White men have built their castles where the Indians' hunting grounds once were, and now they are coming into your mountain glens. Soon there will be no place for the Cherokee to hunt the deer and the bear. The tomahawk of the Shawnee is ready. Will the Cherokee raise the tomahawk? Will the Cherokee join their brothers the Shawnee?
Behold what the white man has done to our people! Gone are the Pequot, the Narraganset, the Powhatan, the Tuscarora and the Coree.... We can no longer trust the white man. We gave him our tobacco and our maize. What happened? Now there is hardly land for us to grow these holy plants.
White men have built their castles where the Indians' hunting grounds once were, and now they are coming into your mountain glens. Soon there will be no place for the Cherokee to hunt the deer and the bear. The tomahawk of the Shawnee is ready. Will the Cherokee raise the tomahawk? Will the Cherokee join their brothers the Shawnee?
- Tecumseh to the Cherokee, 1811
Tecumseh stated that the white people repaid the Native Americans’ past kindnesses by seizing their lands and wiping out several tribes. Tecumseh believed that joining together in a military campaign was the only way Native Americans would prevent further white encroachments on their land.
Junaluska, Cherokee Chief to Tecumseh, 1811
It has been years, many years, since the Cherokee have drawn the tomahawk. Our braves have forgotten how to use the scalping knife. We have learned with sorrow it is better not to war against our white brothers.
We know that they have come to stay. They are like leaves in forest, they are so many. We believe we can live in peace with them. No more do they molest our lands. Our crops grow in peace...
We know that they have come to stay. They are like leaves in forest, they are so many. We believe we can live in peace with them. No more do they molest our lands. Our crops grow in peace...
- Junaluska, Cherokee Chief to Tecumseh, 1811
Citing past experience, Junaluska maintained that fighting the multitudinous Americans would result in defeat. He believed that white people would, from now on, live in peace with the Cherokee and no longer encroach upon their lands.
