Ethnic Cleansing and The Second Seminole War

Ethnic Cleansing in Cherokee Nation, 1830-39

• 1830-35, Cherokees nation battled Georgia in the courts to protect the territory

• 1835, Jackson administration negotiates Treaty of New Echota with the minority “Treaty Party”

  • most Cherokees rejected it

  • widespread United States opposition

  • Senate ratified the treaty by one vote

• 1838-39, the United States Army oversees forced relocation to the Indian Territory

  • 7000 state volunteers with federal commanders

  • poorly funded and organized

  • 16000 Cherokees imprisoned, the Summer of 1838

    • 2000 died

  • fall/winter, survivors were forced to migrate West on the “Trail of Tears”

    • 3000 died in route or soon after arriving

• overall, 5000 died

  • out of 22-23000 in 1834

The Second Seminole War, 1832-42

• some Seminoles and black allies under Osceola and other leaders resisted the removal

  • Osceola: an influential leader of the Seminole people in Florida

    • his birth name was Billy Powell

    • he was born in Alabama

    • he became known as a successful hunter and war leader

• 10 years, 1500 United States troops were dead

  • $20 million was spent to expel 3000 people

  • tribal communities still live in Florida today