Jackson Essay, Research Paper

Jackson s policy regarding the Indians was wrong. Indians who lived to the east of the Mississippi were recognized by the United States as a free and independent nation. America had treaties with these nations that granted them rights to the land. The United States did not have the right to take their land. This event came about due to the demand for fertile farmland. The west was being built up and new states were forming. There were islands of Indians scattered around the south. People wanted these fertile farmlands. As a result, congress passed a law saying that all Indians must move west of the Mississippi. The Cherokee appealed this law in the Supreme Court. On several occasions John Marshall ruled in favor of the Indians. He said that they had a legal right to the land. And as well they did, since the land was granted to them by the United States. However, the problem came about when Jackson would not do anything to enforce the ruling. It is his job to enforce all decisions made by the Court. However, because there was such a demand for the land, he did not do anything about the case. He did not tell Georgia or any other states to extract the Indians from their land; however, he did not tell them not to.

This is wrong as it is Jackson s job as President of the United States to uphold the laws. The court ruled in favor of the Indians and that is what Jackson should have upheld. His personal beliefs or ideas should not come before the law. No man is above the law and Jackson should not be an exception. This means that there will be more land for southern plantation owners and more slaves will be needed to run the plantations. The Indians will be forced to leave their native land, which was given to them by our government. There are better solutions to this issue. Jackson could have upheld the ruling and told the southern states that they would have to move and grow around the Indian Nations. There is good farmland behind the Indian Nations and the Americans could expand there. This would save the Indians and their way of life. Many Indians will die if they are made to move. They have learned survive and we should not take this away. We cannot make laws when it is easy for us and then break them when it is no longer easy.