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

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