Question

100 Points!

February 16, 1835

My Children:

I am sorry to have heard that you have been listening to bad counsel. You know me, and you know that I would not deceive, nor advise you to do anything that was unjust or injurious. Open your ears and attend to what I shall now say to you. They are the words of a friend, and the words of truth.

The white people are settling around you. The game has disappeared from your country. Your people are poor and hungry. All this you have perceived for some time.

My Children, I have never deceived, nor will I ever deceive any of the red people. I tell you that you must go, and that you will go. Even if you had a right to stay, how could you live where you are now? You have sold all your country. You have not a piece as large as a blanket to sit down upon. What is to support yourselves, your women, and children? The tract you have ceded will soon be surveyed and sold, and immediately afterwards will be occupied by a white population. You will soon be in a state of starvation. You will commit depredations upon the property of our citizens. You will be resisted, punished, perhaps killed. Now is it not better peaceably to remove to a fine, fertile country, occupied by your own kindred, and where game is yet abundant? The annuities payable to you, and the other stipulations made in your favor, will make your situation comfortable, and will enable you to increase and improve. If, therefore, you had a right to stay where you now are, still every true friend would advise you to remove. But you have no right to stay, and you must go …

You shall be comfortably taken care of, and kindly treated on the road, and when you arrive in your new country, provisions will be issued to you for a year, so that you can have ample time to provide for your future support.

But lest some of your rash young men should forcibly oppose your arrangements for removal, I have ordered a large military force to be sent among you … If you listen to the voice of friendship and truth, you will go quietly and voluntarily. But should you listen to the bad birds that are always flying about you, and refuse to move, I have then directed the commanding officer to remove you by force. This will be done. I pray the Great Spirit, therefore, to incline you to do what is right.

Your Friend
A. Jackson


1.
In what ways was he not telling the Seminole the truth? Explain why the statements are untrue.
2.
How was the Seminole experience during Indian removal similar to and different from that of other Native American groups?

Answer 1

1) In this letter, President Andrew Jackson is not telling the truth in several ways. He states that the game has disappeared from the Seminoles' country and that they are poor and hungry, but it is not clear if this is true or if it is a manipulation tactic to make the Seminoles more willing to leave. He also implies that the Seminoles have sold all of their country and have no right to stay, but it is not clear if this is true or if it is a justification for the forced removal. He also states that the Seminoles will be comfortably taken care of and kindly treated on the road and when they arrive in the new country, but the history of Indian removal shows that this was often not the case. Many Native Americans were subjected to poor living conditions and mistreatment during the removal process.

2) The Seminole experience during Indian removal was similar to that of other Native American groups in that they were forcibly removed from their ancestral lands and relocated to unfamiliar territories. They faced similar challenges such as poor living conditions, mistreatment, and the loss of their homes, culture, and way of life. However, the Seminole experience was different in that they were able to resist removal for a longer period of time, and some were able to evade capture and remain in Florida. Additionally, the Seminoles were a diverse group made up of different tribes and ethnicities, which added to the complexity of their removal.