Andrea Awan

History 7A #51467
Professor Felix
Indian Removal Packet

The Removal Act was a law that sanctioned the President to be able to do whatever he deems
necessary to any land belonging to the United States. It included the removal of the Indians and granted
them unsettled territory on the west of the Mississippi river in exchange for their land.

The Cherokee Resist Removal is an appeal from the Cherokees to the people of the United
States about their sufferings and their defiance of being removed. The Cherokees desired to live on their
families land as they knew and had their rights to reside there without any interferences. There were
existing laws and treaties of the United States that guaranteed their settlement and privileges as well as
protecting them from intruders. They believed that the removal of families to a new area, even for a
more exceptional future, causes agony, grief and depression to the families. The Cherokees pleaded the
people of the United States to assess the circumstances attributed with the removal of an entire
community, especially one with people of all classes, ages and sicknesses, in the form of a law. Everyone
would agree that the Cherokees were deprived and robbed of their home by the law. They believed that
even if they moved to a new residence, they would not feel safe as they would only expect to be
removed by another legal law. They were treated horribly and constantly degraded but they begged the
people to let them live on their own land.

In Andrew Jacksons speech to Congress, he states that two important Indian tribes accepted
the Removal Act, which he believes will lead the remaining tribes to follow their actions. The Removal
Act relieves Mississippi of Indians and allows the citizens of Mississippi to develop and grow in wealth,
population and power. Jackson believed that by removing Indians from their homes and direct contact
from the whites, they would be able to be happy, live their own way of life and with the influence from
the government, abandon their crude behaviors and become a sophisticated Christian community. He
also believed that the Removal Act toward the Indians was not only respectful, but generous as well.
Jackson said that the government was kind enough to offer the Indians a new home instead of their
complete destruction.

The Archives of the West article about Worcester vs Georgia is about a law that correlates with
the Removal Act and the Cherokees. The article states that the Cherokees lands are a country with its
own independent government. It also states that any whites that is caught trespassing will be punished
by imprisonment at hard labor for at least four years. The article also writes that the Georgia Acts
toward the Cherokees were unfitted and abhorrent and will be replaced by the new law.

The Trail of Tears and the Loss of Freedom were accounts of several eyewitnesses and described
the awful experiences the Cherokees had to go through. They were robbed of their homes from the
whites, both figuratively and literally. Many of their belongings and animals were taken and sold. They
unwillingly moved further west and did so while it was the sickly season. Many Cherokees were dying on
the journey to their new home because of the poor conditions they were in. However, the president
claimed that the Cherokees were peacefully removed. Nonetheless, there were still good people like
Private John Burnett who cared for the Cherokees and never harmed any of them.

This document is about the Removal Act and the sufferings of the Indians. It shows that the
Indians were deprived of their land and were forced to relocate. They knew the existing laws and
treaties that allowed them to live on their land but were stripped of their rights. Andrew Jackson, the
president at that time, made a speech to Congress to convince them of removing Indians from their land
 Andrea Awan
History 7A #51467
Professor Felix
to acquire more territories for the United States. He also stated the advantages for both the whites and
the Indians to further convince the Congress. This document helped me gain more insights on how the
Indians were removed from their families lands no matter how much they pleaded against it.

David Walkers The Appeal to Colored Citizens

David Walker was an African-American anti-slavery activist and abolitionist. In this document, he
writes to his fellow brethren about abolishing slavery. He made observations on how whites acted
toward and degraded colored people. He compared how the sufferings of colored people in America
was worse than the sufferings of the Israelites in Egypt, the Roman Slaves and the Helots. They were not
treated as people but were treated as property and animals. All the whites have done to colored people
was treating them poorly by disgracing and brutally murdering them and their families while the colored
people had to do hard labor for them. Therefore, there was absolutely no reason to thank them. Walker
states that slaves should not retreat because America was made from their blood, sweat and tears and
enriched the country. He believes in peace as he writes that if the whites treated them like men instead
of brutes, they would be friends. The past would be put behind them and they would be united. He ends
the appeal by writing a statement from the Declaration of Independence which states that all men are
equal, so the whites should treat everyone as equals too.

The Confessions of Nat Turner

This document is about the rebellion that Nat Turner led and his confession about the murders
committed. Turner believed that God sent him a sign to rebel against the whites, which was the sun
eclipse. He tells the narrative on how he planned and carried out the murders. He stated that no life
would be spared, no matter the persons sex or age. Turner, along with Hark, Henry, Sam and Nelson,
first murdered Joseph Travis, Turners master. They would then carry on killing other whites and their
families. After Turner and his companions murdered the whites, they would rummage through their
houses to find money and ammunition. More slaves would join Turner on his killing spree. He stated
that it was his purpose to terrorize and carry devastation to all places he visited. Once he had arrived at
Richard Porters house, he found out that they had escaped because the news of the murders had
spread. He continued murdering any whites he encountered until he arrived at James Parkers
residence, where Captain Alexander Peete and his men fired at them. Turner went on killing as many
victims as he could before going into hiding. As he was hiding in Benjamin Phipps grounds, he was
discovered by Phipps himself. Turner surrendered and was taken in chains. Despite the rumors of Turner
being cowardly, ignorant and only murdering others to acquire their money, the deputy thought
otherwise. He believed that Turner was smart, courageous and wanted revenge on the whites for what
they had done to him and his people.

After reading this document, I gained more insight on the Nat Turner and his rebellion. This was
the first rebellion lead by slaves I read about. It shows that people will do anything, including murdering
others, to have their own freedom. They would sacrifice their own lives to have revenge on their
masters and any other whites who made their lives miserable or intolerable. I believe in justice and
equality for all people, but murdering the whites was not the answer. However, I understand their
actions as it would be infuriating to suffer while their masters lived normal lives. I believe people should
treat others the way they want to be treated no matter their sex, race or religion.
 Andrea Awan
History 7A #51467
Professor Felix
The Liberator by William Lloyd Garrison

William Lloyd Garrison was an abolitionist and journalist. His goal was to inspire people to end
slavery by writing about it in his newspaper, The Liberator. In the document, he described how he
resented slavery and the discrimination against people of color. Garrison wanted people of all parties
and religions to help him in letting slaves have their own rights. He quoted the Declaration of
Independence which states that all men are created equal and that he would continuously fight for the
freedom of all slaves. He believed in justice and was willing to speak harshly until he was heard. The
document ends with a poem about him not fearing oppression and vowing to free the African-
Americans. This document shows Garrisons dedication and perseverance to ending slavery and fighting
for the rights and freedom of the slaves. He was willing to do whatever was necessary to make sure
people would hear what he had to say and help him defend the slaves human rights.
These four documents taught me about the Removal Act, the Cherokees and the African-
American slaves. Both the Cherokees and African-Americans suffered under the hands of the whites, no
matter how much they resisted. This assignment taught me to treat others the way you want to be
treated as well as treat everyone equally, regardless of their sex, race, language, or religion.