Team Irma

Professor Katsanos
LBST 2102-336
September 27, 2017

Andrew Jackson Critique

What do you believe was true in Jackson's speech? What don't you believe?
Possible danger between General and State governments due to tensions over the
current state of affairs regarding the native population was likely true as the State
governments were pushing for the removal of the Indians
Much of the speech was presented in a way to dehumanize and distance the natives from
the rest of American citizens

What was Jackson's definition of the words civilized and savage?

Jackson's definition of savage, as well as many other people's definition, was the entire
native population in America
This is likely due to pieces of propaganda skewing public opinion such as what was
spread during the time Columbus was making trips to America
Civilized most likely meant white people of European descent that lived in the towns and
cities

Were the Seminoles and Cherokees a few savage hunters? If not, why does Jackson say
this?
This was said as a way of downplaying the major upheaval that was about to take place
Public opinion was more likely to accept what was happening to the native population if
they did not know the full extent of the atrocities that were to be committed
What facts must the listener be ignorant of in order to believe Jackson's speech?
Listeners must've ignorant of how many natives there actually were as by 1837, over
46,000 natives had been removed from the southern states due to the Indian Removal Act
It is also likely that the supporters of the Act had never had a meaningful face-to-face
with a native person as this could have personalized their struggle and made them aware
of their unique and important culture

What is progress to Jackson?

Progress is an important topic of discussion in Howard Zinn's A People's History of the
United States as Zinn explains how progress is typically connected to destruction
Jackson's idea of progress is to install civilized populations across the United States
(while taking control of any resources along the way)
This progress is coupled with the uprooting of native peoples from their sacred homeland
and resources
Jackson's Indian Removal Policy is a perfect example of what Zinn outlines in his book
as so many natives suffered and died due to the progression Jackson oversaw

Conclusion:
The progress sought by the American people during the time of Jackson's presidency
caused the upheaval of many native communities as well as the theft of their land and resources.
This attitude has not entirely been bleached out of modern society as is shown by the rescinding
of the DACA policy. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy allowed
eligible candidates to work and attend school with a re-approval process occurring every two
years. This was shown to be an effective way to lower the number of immigrant households
living in poverty, and it increased wages and labor participation among immigrant workers.
When this policy was rescinded, it took this opportunity away from its 800,000 participants.
Much like the violation of the treaties signed by the government with the natives allowing them
to keep their lands, those who have been allowed to stay in this country to work and get an
education must now leave their homes behind to return to their country. This fosters an idea of
inequality between those affected by this policy and American citizens. What we have learned
from the mistreatment of the native populations during the early 1800's is that dehumanizing
people and uprooting them from their homes is a terrible way to treat fellow human beings, but it
still continues to happen today.