In this week reading something I found very sad was the, "Trail of Tears". The Indians were forced to move from North Carolina to Oklahoma by the U.S. army. The Indian tribe was called the Cherokee, over ten thousand of them made this journey. The Cherokee's were forced to make this trip lacking shelter, blankets, and food. The young, the old, and the sick were the ones that had a harder time surviving during the journey. Some of these same Indians also had fought with General Andrew Jackson during the war of 1812. One Indian chief who had fought with the Americans at the battle of Horseshoe Bend said resentfully, "If I had known that Jackson would drive us from our homes, I would have killed him that day at the Horse Shoe." The Indian's journeys name comes from a Cherokee phrase that described it, Nunna-da-ul-tsu-yi, “the Trail where they cried.”
Even though President Jackson said he was going to treat the Indians justly, "...(he) pursued Indian policies that were anything but 'just and liberal' and showed a remarkable lack of 'humane and considerate attention to their rights and their wants.' " The first way Jackson was unjust towards the Indians, was he enforced the Indian removal policy. As the name implies, he had the Indian tribes removed and moved them westward. Many Indians revolted in this removal and that resulted in two wars, the Black Hawk War and the Seminole War. The Indians suffered the most and lost both wars. In the Black Hawk War (1832) Sauk and Fox Indians crossed the Mississippi Rover to try to get their land back in Northern Illinois. Regulars and Illinois militia quickly intercepted them in a battle. In the Seminole War (1835- 1842) the Seminole tribe hide from the soldiers trying to take them away. Many Americans and Indians died from this. Most of the tribe was found in the swamp lands and marshes of Florida, but some escaped and continued to live in Florida. The worst removal of the Indians was the Trial of Tears, where Indians from North Carolina were forced to march all the way to Oklahoma. Thousands of Indians died on the march because of the harsh winter weather that they were not used to or prepared for. President Jackson showed no consideration or compassion for the Indians and because of this many Indians died.
After being brought out of retirement by the Whigs and nominated for presidency, William Henry Harrison ran against Jackson in an election that's outcome pleased Anti - Jackson supporters greatly. Harrison was inaugurated as the 9th president of the US with a landslide electoral victory over Jackson (234 to 60). His inaugural address was given on a very dreary March 4, 1841 to a group of rain clad citizens. However, even though Harrison had the support of so many, he was 68 years old and not in good health. Many other factors also made his time in office difficult (i.e., his wife was still living in Ohio and had not come with him to Washington, he found the job of being president highly overwhelming and the chilly and rainy weather was hard on the already fragile health). Needless to say, all these things took a toll on the elderly president and upon getting pneumonia on April 1, he died three days later (April 4, 1841) after only being president for one month.
"It seemed at that moment I had not power to resist temptation, and I struck a sudden blow ... and dropped him to the earth."
Preacher Peter Cartwright was a bold person and a powerful speaker. Raised in Kentucky, he preached all throughout Ohio, Illinois, Tennessee, and Indiana. He claimed that a part of his creed was to "love everybody, but to fear no one." The quote at the top of this comment is Cartwright's response to an incident that took place during an outdoor meeting, when drunken mob nearly ruined his whole service. When the leader of this mob tried to clumsily attack him, Cartwright struck him. After this, order was maintained and the service continued. I love the significance of this quote because it shows that no matter how wonderful a preacher, everyone can lose their temper or lash it. It shows his humanity and a bit of humor as well. Another example of this is when he loudly exclaimed, "Who is General Jackson? [If he] don't get his soul converted, [then] God will damn him!" Jackson admired Cartwright for his unabashed tenacity.
When Missouri applied for state ship in 1818, its constitution allowed slavery because of the high demand of cheap labor that was needed for the cotton industry in the south. Considering the fact that the state contained 10,000 slaves at the time, it was necessary for slave labor to be legal. At the time of Missouri Compromise there were eleven free states and eleven slave states, so the question of political balance between the South and North lay at the heart of the Missouri Compromise. Balance in the Senate was crucial to the unity of the North and South because previously the South had lost control in the House of Representatives to the higher populated North. Bottom line: the Missouri Compromise would tip the scale either to the North, or the South. “The Missouri Compromise of 1820 proposed that Maine be admitted as a free state and Missouri as a slave state, and that in the rest of the Louisiana Territory, slavery not be permitted north of 36º 30’,” which is Missouri’s southern boundary. (p. 196) This proposal was approved and Missouri submitted a constitution, thus completing the process of becoming a state. The decision of the Missouri Compromise would prove to be disastrous for the future of America. The Missouri Compromise began what John Quincy Adams called “the title page to a great tragic volume.”
Mr. Parker, You asked us to make a three track audio this week. Did you want us send that to you? Or was it just for us to make sure we knew how to use audacity? Thanks!
Something that I thought was key to continuing to build America and make it a success, was International Improvements. It says that in the early 1800's, "funding for roads, canals, and harbor developments that would bolster commerce and communications" was initiated. This provided easier transportation for colonists and benefitted the economy by improving trade. This kept things in a good place until the Panic of 1819, which, was caused by the price of cotton falling abruptly and the irresponsibility of state, and national, banks. I think our chapter for this week's reading gave good perspective on how many ups and downs America had during this time period. But the important thing was that through the hard times, they kept going and striving to improve the foundation that they had built.
I found the removal of the Indians really sad. When Jackson got into office again, he was ready to remove the Indians. he used the Indian removal policy. No less than 94 treaties were made with the Indians. Some the treaties were forced on the Indians. the United States started moving the Indians westward. But not all the Indians were willing to give up their land. In 1832, a group of Sauk and fox Indians were led by Chief Black Hawk across the Mississippi and into Northern Illinois to reclaim their land. They were met by soldiers and the Illinois Militia. The Black Hawk War was short and bloody. The more challenging of the war Seminole War (1835-1842). The Seminoles were led by Osceola, hid in the swamp lands and marshes of Florida. American soldiers tried attacking, but their efforts were fruitless. The government gave up on the Seminoles and let they leave there. The Cherokee had adopt a lot of white people customs, such as schools roads; they believed their treaties with the American government said the Cherokee could stay. So when the American government tried to move them, they resisted. The Cherokee went to court. The lost. They were forced to go westward. The hard journey was called the "Trail of Tears."
Andrew Jackson is often thought of by his long-standing epithet; “Old Hickory.” Coming from a rough background on the frontier where his own father died, Jackson was forced to develop a tough spirit early on. Early on in his life, Jackson defied an officer of the British Calvary after being taken captive. Though he paid for his disrespect with scars, his independent, “rough” nature was firmly implanted within him from the start. Fiery and energetic, the young lawyer and later, state judge, slowly worked his way up out of the “roughshod” stereotype into public respectability. However, Jackson’s reputation was not built up in Washington. Rather, “it was forged on the frontier, fighting the Indians and redcoats.” A point of interest to me in this section was that Jackson possessed a “code of honor,” and it was difficult for the public to believe terrible things about him, such as the allegation of murder. One reason the public appreciated Jackson was because he was the poster child for “self-evident truths;” that is, he was an ordinary human being, born on the frontier, living a trying lifestyle, only to emerge victorious over his humble circumstances. Though Andrew Jackson was in no way perfect, he achieved extraordinary things in his lifetime.
What really struck me in this week's readings was the idea of protective tariff. On the surface, it seems like a good idea. Foreign merchants were coming to American and selling goods cheaply. To protect American manufacturers from competition, the government placed a tax on imports. This helped American manufacturers to prosper, and discouraged foreign trade. However, the government failed to think through this idea, because it turned out not to be beneficial to everyone. For many in the South, who depended on trade, it caused problems. Also, because protective tariffs discouraged competition, they created higher prices for consumers. So, while the North sold at high prices, the South had to buy at high prices. One Tariff, passed in 1828, although good for the North, was called the "Tariff of Abominations," by the South. Southerners declared that it was unconstitutional, and South Carolina nearly succeeded from the Union. Over all, protective tariffs, though a seemingly good idea, only served to create strife between the North and the South.
I thought it was quite sad that the Americans constantly pushed the Indians further and further out of their homeland. I try to imagine what it would be like to be, as an adult, having known only of the land I grew up in, to suddenly be ordered to leave by men I barely knew, and to a land I have never been. Many Indians resisted the white expansion, and paid dearly for it with their lives. Chief Black Hawk (I wonder if this is where the Black Hawk’s got their name?) led a tribe of Sauk and Fox Indians to northern Illinois (around where we live!) to reclaim their land. Tragically (although maybe not for the Americans), many Indians perished and lost the war. Could the Americans have perhaps settled around the Indians? Or perhaps accepted them as their own? Then, maybe the “Trail of Tears” would have never happened. Why go into such lengths to rid America of Indians? It was a tragic time in American history.
In this week’s readings, one of the things that struck me was Jackson’s attitude toward the Indians. Particularly, I was annoyed and angry at his decision to overrule the Supreme Court’s ruling which was in favor of the Cherokee. When the Cherokee resisted removal, instead of using violence they went to court. I think that this was a wise decision because it likened them to the Americans. Often, we do not like what we do not know. In acting like the “civilized” Americans, the Native Americans should have gained the recognition of the Americans as humans just like them. The “white people” would have (hopefully) gone to court instead of using violent means to get what they want. The upsetting part was that the “white people” did not see the Indians with new eyes, but were persistent in their decision to remove the tribes. When Jackson ignored the Supreme Court ruling, he was choosing which laws to enforce, and which laws not to enforce. The job of the judicial branch is to interpret the law and to make decision upon that interpretation. As a part of the executive branch, Jackson should have been enforcing that decision, but instead he ignored it. This is a scary situation and I am glad that it did not escalate into something more dangerous.
One thing the shocked me was Andrew Jackson’s frightful childhood. I have been blissfully unaware of the horrors our 7th president went through as a child. To start off Jackson never met his father. Who had died 3 weeks before Jackson’s birthday, due to an accident, at 29 years old. Jackson was born, while his mother was making her way home from burying Jackson’s father. “At thirteen he [Jackson] joined the Patriot forces against the invading British. In April 1781 Andrew and his brother Robert were captured by British calvary.” (Page 200) - I would like to take a moment and say how horrible that is, not only for Andrew and Robert, but their mother as well! - One day while in captivity Jackson refused to clean an officers boots. The officer, who had issued the command, was so outraged that he “slashed the boy on the head with a saber and hacked at his raised arm. Jackson would bear the scars of his defiance for the rest of his life.” (Page 200) What a strong man to recover from that, continue to study law and become the president of the United States later in life!
In this week reading something I found very sad was the, "Trail of Tears". The Indians were forced to move from North Carolina to Oklahoma by the U.S. army. The Indian tribe was called the Cherokee, over ten thousand of them made this journey. The Cherokee's were forced to make this trip lacking shelter, blankets, and food. The young, the old, and the sick were the ones that had a harder time surviving during the journey. Some of these same Indians also had fought with General Andrew Jackson during the war of 1812. One Indian chief who had fought with the Americans at the battle of Horseshoe Bend said resentfully, "If I had known that Jackson would drive us from our homes, I would have killed him that day at the Horse Shoe." The Indian's journeys name comes from a Cherokee phrase that described it, Nunna-da-ul-tsu-yi, “the Trail where they cried.”
ReplyDeleteEven though President Jackson said he was going to treat the Indians justly, "...(he) pursued Indian policies that were anything but 'just and liberal' and showed a remarkable lack of 'humane and considerate attention to their rights and their wants.' " The first way Jackson was unjust towards the Indians, was he enforced the Indian removal policy. As the name implies, he had the Indian tribes removed and moved them westward. Many Indians revolted in this removal and that resulted in two wars, the Black Hawk War and the Seminole War. The Indians suffered the most and lost both wars. In the Black Hawk War (1832) Sauk and Fox Indians crossed the Mississippi Rover to try to get their land back in Northern Illinois. Regulars and Illinois militia quickly intercepted them in a battle. In the Seminole War (1835- 1842) the Seminole tribe hide from the soldiers trying to take them away. Many Americans and Indians died from this. Most of the tribe was found in the swamp lands and marshes of Florida, but some escaped and continued to live in Florida. The worst removal of the Indians was the Trial of Tears, where Indians from North Carolina were forced to march all the way to Oklahoma. Thousands of Indians died on the march because of the harsh winter weather that they were not used to or prepared for. President Jackson showed no consideration or compassion for the Indians and because of this many Indians died.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAfter being brought out of retirement by the Whigs and nominated for presidency, William Henry Harrison ran against Jackson in an election that's outcome pleased Anti - Jackson supporters greatly. Harrison was inaugurated as the 9th president of the US with a landslide electoral victory over Jackson (234 to 60). His inaugural address was given on a very dreary March 4, 1841 to a group of rain clad citizens. However, even though Harrison had the support of so many, he was 68 years old and not in good health. Many other factors also made his time in office difficult (i.e., his wife was still living in Ohio and had not come with him to Washington, he found the job of being president highly overwhelming and the chilly and rainy weather was hard on the already fragile health). Needless to say, all these things took a toll on the elderly president and upon getting pneumonia on April 1, he died three days later (April 4, 1841) after only being president for one month.
ReplyDelete"It seemed at that moment I had not power to resist temptation, and I struck a sudden blow ... and dropped him to the earth."
ReplyDeletePreacher Peter Cartwright was a bold person and a powerful speaker. Raised in Kentucky, he preached all throughout Ohio, Illinois, Tennessee, and Indiana. He claimed that a part of his creed was to "love everybody, but to fear no one." The quote at the top of this comment is Cartwright's response to an incident that took place during an outdoor meeting, when drunken mob nearly ruined his whole service. When the leader of this mob tried to clumsily attack him, Cartwright struck him. After this, order was maintained and the service continued. I love the significance of this quote because it shows that no matter how wonderful a preacher, everyone can lose their temper or lash it. It shows his humanity and a bit of humor as well. Another example of this is when he loudly exclaimed, "Who is General Jackson? [If he] don't get his soul converted, [then] God will damn him!" Jackson admired Cartwright for his unabashed tenacity.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhen Missouri applied for state ship in 1818, its constitution allowed slavery because of the high demand of cheap labor that was needed for the cotton industry in the south. Considering the fact that the state contained 10,000 slaves at the time, it was necessary for slave labor to be legal. At the time of Missouri Compromise there were eleven free states and eleven slave states, so the question of political balance between the South and North lay at the heart of the Missouri Compromise. Balance in the Senate was crucial to the unity of the North and South because previously the South had lost control in the House of Representatives to the higher populated North. Bottom line: the Missouri Compromise would tip the scale either to the North, or the South. “The Missouri Compromise of 1820 proposed that Maine be admitted as a free state and Missouri as a slave state, and that in the rest of the Louisiana Territory, slavery not be permitted north of 36º 30’,” which is Missouri’s southern boundary. (p. 196) This proposal was approved and Missouri submitted a constitution, thus completing the process of becoming a state. The decision of the Missouri Compromise would prove to be disastrous for the future of America. The Missouri Compromise began what John Quincy Adams called “the title page to a great tragic volume.”
ReplyDeleteMr. Parker,
ReplyDeleteYou asked us to make a three track audio this week. Did you want us send that to you? Or was it just for us to make sure we knew how to use audacity? Thanks!
Hi Maggie, I just want you to work on it. If you have any problems, write down your questions and I will try to explain in class.
DeleteOkay, thanks!
DeleteSomething that I thought was key to continuing to build America and make it a success, was International Improvements. It says that in the early 1800's, "funding for roads, canals, and harbor developments that would bolster commerce and communications" was initiated. This provided easier transportation for colonists and benefitted the economy by improving trade. This kept things in a good place until the Panic of 1819, which, was caused by the price of cotton falling abruptly and the irresponsibility of state, and national, banks. I think our chapter for this week's reading gave good perspective on how many ups and downs America had during this time period. But the important thing was that through the hard times, they kept going and striving to improve the foundation that they had built.
ReplyDeleteI found the removal of the Indians really sad. When Jackson got into office again, he was ready to remove the Indians. he used the Indian removal policy. No less than 94 treaties were made with the Indians. Some the treaties were forced on the Indians. the United States started moving the Indians westward. But not all the Indians were willing to give up their land. In 1832, a group of Sauk and fox Indians were led by Chief Black Hawk across the Mississippi and into Northern Illinois to reclaim their land. They were met by soldiers and the Illinois Militia. The Black Hawk War was short and bloody. The more challenging of the war Seminole War (1835-1842). The Seminoles were led by Osceola, hid in the swamp lands and marshes of Florida. American soldiers tried attacking, but their efforts were fruitless. The government gave up on the Seminoles and let they leave there. The Cherokee had adopt a lot of white people customs, such as schools roads; they believed their treaties with the American government said the Cherokee could stay. So when the American government tried to move them, they resisted. The Cherokee went to court. The lost. They were forced to go westward. The hard journey was called the "Trail of Tears."
ReplyDeleteAndrew Jackson is often thought of by his long-standing epithet; “Old Hickory.” Coming from a rough background on the frontier where his own father died, Jackson was forced to develop a tough spirit early on. Early on in his life, Jackson defied an officer of the British Calvary after being taken captive. Though he paid for his disrespect with scars, his independent, “rough” nature was firmly implanted within him from the start. Fiery and energetic, the young lawyer and later, state judge, slowly worked his way up out of the “roughshod” stereotype into public respectability. However, Jackson’s reputation was not built up in Washington. Rather, “it was forged on the frontier, fighting the Indians and redcoats.” A point of interest to me in this section was that Jackson possessed a “code of honor,” and it was difficult for the public to believe terrible things about him, such as the allegation of murder. One reason the public appreciated Jackson was because he was the poster child for “self-evident truths;” that is, he was an ordinary human being, born on the frontier, living a trying lifestyle, only to emerge victorious over his humble circumstances. Though Andrew Jackson was in no way perfect, he achieved extraordinary things in his lifetime.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhat really struck me in this week's readings was the idea of protective tariff. On the surface, it seems like a good idea. Foreign merchants were coming to American and selling goods cheaply. To protect American manufacturers from competition, the government placed a tax on imports. This helped American manufacturers to prosper, and discouraged foreign trade. However, the government failed to think through this idea, because it turned out not to be beneficial to everyone. For many in the South, who depended on trade, it caused problems. Also, because protective tariffs discouraged competition, they created higher prices for consumers. So, while the North sold at high prices, the South had to buy at high prices. One Tariff, passed in 1828, although good for the North, was called the "Tariff of Abominations," by the South. Southerners declared that it was unconstitutional, and South Carolina nearly succeeded from the Union. Over all, protective tariffs, though a seemingly good idea, only served to create strife between the North and the South.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was quite sad that the Americans constantly pushed the Indians further and further out of their homeland. I try to imagine what it would be like to be, as an adult, having known only of the land I grew up in, to suddenly be ordered to leave by men I barely knew, and to a land I have never been. Many Indians resisted the white expansion, and paid dearly for it with their lives. Chief Black Hawk (I wonder if this is where the Black Hawk’s got their name?) led a tribe of Sauk and Fox Indians to northern Illinois (around where we live!) to reclaim their land. Tragically (although maybe not for the Americans), many Indians perished and lost the war. Could the Americans have perhaps settled around the Indians? Or perhaps accepted them as their own? Then, maybe the “Trail of Tears” would have never happened. Why go into such lengths to rid America of Indians? It was a tragic time in American history.
ReplyDeleteIn this week’s readings, one of the things that struck me was Jackson’s attitude toward the Indians. Particularly, I was annoyed and angry at his decision to overrule the Supreme Court’s ruling which was in favor of the Cherokee. When the Cherokee resisted removal, instead of using violence they went to court. I think that this was a wise decision because it likened them to the Americans. Often, we do not like what we do not know. In acting like the “civilized” Americans, the Native Americans should have gained the recognition of the Americans as humans just like them. The “white people” would have (hopefully) gone to court instead of using violent means to get what they want. The upsetting part was that the “white people” did not see the Indians with new eyes, but were persistent in their decision to remove the tribes. When Jackson ignored the Supreme Court ruling, he was choosing which laws to enforce, and which laws not to enforce. The job of the judicial branch is to interpret the law and to make decision upon that interpretation. As a part of the executive branch, Jackson should have been enforcing that decision, but instead he ignored it. This is a scary situation and I am glad that it did not escalate into something more dangerous.
ReplyDeleteOne thing the shocked me was Andrew Jackson’s frightful childhood. I have been blissfully unaware of the horrors our 7th president went through as a child. To start off Jackson never met his father. Who had died 3 weeks before Jackson’s birthday, due to an accident, at 29 years old. Jackson was born, while his mother was making her way home from burying Jackson’s father. “At thirteen he [Jackson] joined the Patriot forces against the invading British. In April 1781 Andrew and his brother Robert were captured by British calvary.” (Page 200) - I would like to take a moment and say how horrible that is, not only for Andrew and Robert, but their mother as well! - One day while in captivity Jackson refused to clean an officers boots. The officer, who had issued the command, was so outraged that he “slashed the boy on the head with a saber and hacked at his raised arm. Jackson would bear the scars of his defiance for the rest of his life.” (Page 200) What a strong man to recover from that, continue to study law and become the president of the United States later in life!
ReplyDelete