Summary Of Andrew Jackson And His Indian War

Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States of America, was elected to presidency in the country’s 1828 elections. It was however on June 28, 1830, that Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act and in turn, allowed the relocation of Indians in areas far from the white settlements. The new law gave Jackson power to provide the voluntary relocation of Indians to the trans-Mississippi West. In “Andrew Jackson and His Indian Wars” Remini gives insight in the relationship Jackson had with the Native Americans. Whilst Jackson is portrayed as a slave owner and racist, Remini explains the man’s logic with regard to the hierarchy of men in the United States. Following on concepts shared by most of his fellow white Americans, Jackson believed

According to Remini, Jackson sought to relocate the Indians to ensure national security from the people that betrayed the United States. For instance, the Spanish and Great Britain armies enlisted Indians living within the United States borders as part of their battle strategies (Remini, p.113). By the end of the American Revolutionary War in 1783, all members of the Jackson family were dead and Andrew had been tortured by the British forces (Remini, p.18). As the Indians had supported the British, it was no wonder the white population, and Jackson, was skeptical about living in harmony with the disloyal tribe. On the other hand, the United States had more interest in acquiring more land for its people and the Natives were aware of the danger in which their homes were. If forced to share the same resources, there was no doubt that skirmishes will arise with each side attempting to have the bigger share of the same. In addition, it is safe to argue that Jackson saw no need in risking the welfare of the whites and accommodate the Indians within the same

For instance, in 1814 Jackson’s armed forces defeated the Creek Indians (Remini, p.64). The aforementioned war was one in the multiple confrontations that followed in fighting the natives. It is safe to argue that fighting the Indians allowed Jackson to familiarize himself with the enemy’s ideologies. Consequently, once elected as president, Andrew Jackson realized the level of threat posed by the Indians, thus his decision to relocate the tribes. The Indians’ determination to protect their lands was bound to cause problems to the whites, and if gone unchecked, said problem will only grow in magnitude. To coincide with Jackson’s fears and inability to trust the Indians, Remini provides an excerpt of a speech delivered by Shawnee Chief Tecumseh to the Creek Indian tribe in 1811 (Remini, p.1). Remini quotes the Indian chief saying, “Burn their dwellings-destroy their stock-slay their wives and children that the very breed may perish” (p.1). Hence, it is evident that the Indians aimed at dealing with the whites in a ruthless manner, a fact that warrants the United States’