Final answer:
Andrew Jackson believed that removing the Cherokee to Indian Territory would be beneficial for the progress of the United States. The Indian Removal Act of 1830 put pressure on the Cherokee and other Native American groups to leave their lands. The majority of the Cherokee opposed removal, but a minority signed a treaty that led to their forced migration and the Trail of Tears.
Step-by-step explanation:
Andrew Jackson believed that the Cherokee would be better off in Indian Territory because he saw their removal as essential for the progress and civilization of the United States. He argued that Native American groups, especially the Five Civilized Tribes like the Cherokee, presented obstacles to White settlement and that their removal would allow for the expansion of American society.
Jackson's Indian Removal Act of 1830, which was passed by Congress, aimed to relocate all Indian groups living east of the Mississippi River to lands west of the river. The act put pressure on native tribes, including the Cherokee, to voluntarily remove themselves. However, in reality, this removal was not truly voluntary as tremendous pressure was applied on these groups to leave.
The majority of the Cherokee population, led by Principal Chief John Ross, strongly opposed removal. However, a minority of elite Cherokee leaders, known as the Treaty Party, led by Major Ridge, signed the Treaty of New Echota in 1835. This treaty gave up all Cherokee lands east of the Mississippi in return for lands in Indian Territory, compensation, and a two-year period to voluntarily leave. The majority of the Cherokee did not migrate, and their forced removal in 1838 became known as the Trail of Tears, resulting in the death of thousands of Cherokee.