Final answer:
The Indian Removal Act of 1830 is a law under which the federal government funded treaties that coerced Native American tribes to move west of the Mississippi River, an act that was part of a wider disregard for treaties signed with Native tribes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Under the Indian Removal Act of 1830, the federal government funded treaties that forced tribes from their homelands east of the Mississippi River to lands further west. This was part of a broader policy where the federal government played a direct role in civil rights abuses against Native Americans by failing to honor numerous treaties. The aim was to control frontier violence, settle the western territories peacefully, and uphold the territorial integrity of the United States, as outlined by the Indian Intercourse Acts which established the federal government's role in trading with Native Americans.
Unfortunately, the government seldom enforced the treaties that guaranteed Native Americans the right to their land, and White settlers frequently ignored such agreements. The Supreme Court further weakened Native American rights by ruling the federal government could modify treaties with tribes without their consent. Native American resistance was common, with some refusing to accept the treaties or identifying these treaties as signed under duress.
Over time, forced relocation, such as what occurred under the Indian Removal Act, led many Native Americans to reservations with inadequate resources, fostering dependency on federal stipends. Moreover, the non-compliance with these treaties led to a loss of income, dignity, and traditional ways of life for Indigenous peoples.