Indian Country

What was the main motivation for the Indian Removal Act of 1830?

Desire for Native American land in the Southeast for white settlement and cotton agriculture.

Who was the key figure opposing the Supreme Court ruling protecting Cherokee sovereignty?

President Andrew Jackson.

What did the Supreme Court rule regarding the Cherokee Nation?

The Cherokee Nation was a sovereign political entity with rights to its land.

What was the Treaty of New Echota?

The official instrument for the removal of the Cherokee, signed by a minority faction.

What was the Trail of Tears?

The forced march of approximately 16,000 Cherokee from their homes to Indian Territory.

When did the Trail of Tears begin?

In 1838.

How many Cherokee are estimated to have died during the Trail of Tears?

Estimates often cite around 4,000 deaths.

What were the Five Civilized Tribes?

The Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole tribes.

What was Indian Territory originally promised to be?

A permanent, self-governed homeland for Native Americans.

What event dramatically opened a large portion of Indian Territory to white settlement?

The Land Run of 1889.

What happened to Indian Territory after the creation of Oklahoma?

It was combined with Oklahoma Territory, leading to statehood in 1907.

What was Laura Ingalls Wilder's portrayal of Native Americans in her work?

She framed Native Americans as 'savages' who must leave as white settlers moved in.

What was removed from the musical Oklahoma! to avoid offense?

Lines referencing the clash between white settlers and 'redskins'.

What extreme decline occurred in the Native American population by 1900?

A 90% decline from pre-contact estimates, with the population being less than half a million.

What did the Dawes Act contribute to the Native American experience?

It eroded tribal land holdings further.

What was one reason the Cherokee adopted European-American customs in the pre-removal era?

To secure their lands and improve relations with the United States.