Question

How might the American Indians have felt about Andrew Jackson's Indian policy to remove Indians from the East by force, considering the historical context of treaties and the Trail of Tears?

A. American Indians may have felt that Jackson's policy was fair and just.
B. American Indians likely supported Jackson's policy due to the benefits it provided.
C. American Indians may have felt deeply wronged and betrayed by Jackson's actions, especially in violation of treaties and the Trail of Tears.
D. American Indians probably had mixed feelings and varied opinions about Jackson's Indian policy.

Answer 1

Option (C), American Indians likely felt wronged by Andrew Jackson's policy, which forced their removal via the Indian Removal Act of 1830, leading to the Trail of Tears and reflecting the racial aversion of the era.

Step-by-step explanation:

Considering the historical context of treaties and the Trail of Tears, the American Indians may have felt deeply wronged and betrayed by Andrew Jackson's Indian policy to remove Indians from the East by force. Jackson's Indian Removal Act of 1830 led to the infamous Trail of Tears, where many Native Americans from the Five Civilized Tribes—the Cherokee, Creek (Muskogee), Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Seminole—suffered terribly during their forced relocation.

The act was passed by a narrow margin in Congress, reflecting growing tensions between different political factions, and despite its theoretical voluntary nature, in reality, American Indians faced tremendous pressure to relocate. The policy aligned with the racial aversion pervasive during Jackson's era and satisfied the majority of White Americans’ desire for land expansion, effectively participating in a policy of ethnic cleansing.