Question

What does Jackson criticize about the US government’s American Indian policy?

Answer 1

Helen Hunt Jackson criticized the U.S. government's Indian policy for its unjust seizure of Native lands, failure to honor treaties, and reservation system that stymied assimilation. Her book, 'A Century of Dishonor' documented these injustices but also reflected the contemporary viewpoint favoring assimilation over cultural preservation.

Step-by-step explanation:

Helen Hunt Jackson's book, A Century of Dishonor, published in 1881, was a scathing critique of the United States government’s American Indian policy. Jackson decried the government’s forcible seizure of Native American lands and its failure to abide by its own treaties with Native peoples. She documented a long history of broken promises and injustices that were justified under the guise of civilization and progress, which included the Indian Removal Act of 1830—an act that forcibly relocated Native American tribes from their ancestral homelands to designated 'Indian Territory' west of the Mississippi River. Moreover, Jackson's criticism extended to the reservation system which she believed perpetuated 'uncivilized' traditions and impeded the assimilation of Native Americans into Anglo culture and economic practices.

Despite her critical stance on these injustices, Jackson's perspective was also shaped by the prevailing sentiments of her era. She did not argue for the preservation of Native cultures but instead for their assimilation into Anglo-American ways of life, reflecting a common belief among reformers of the period. Jackson's work ultimately helped increase awareness among non-Indians about the government's policies and generated greater sympathy for the plight of Native Americans, contributing to a shift in public opinion.

Answer 2

Andrew Jackson was the seventh president of the United States. He served two terms in office from 1829 to 1837.

During Jackson’s presidency, the United States evolved from a republic—in which only landowners could vote—to a mass democracy, in which white men of all socioeconomic classes were enfranchised.

Jackson oversaw the Indian Removal Act, which forcibly relocated tens of thousands of Native Americans and had a devastating effect on the Native population. He was criticize bout his Indian removal act against native Americans.

Jackson’s Indian policy

Jackson early on established himself as a champion of the white settler against the interests of Native Americans. As president, Jackson instituted his pro-white sentiment in a series of policies that culminated with the forced removal of Native Americans from their native lands.

In 1830, Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act, which authorized the forced relocation of Indian tribes from their ancestral territories in the East and South to lands west of the Mississippi River. These involuntary relocation became known as the “Trail of Tears.” Those who resisted were compelled to either go into hiding or suffer violence at the hands of the US Army and white settlers keen on enforcing vigilante justice.