Triumph and Tragedy Often Go Hand in Hand

Triumph and tragedy often go hand in hand. They act as pairs - one cannot exist without the other in some cases, especially when it comes to the colonization of previously indigenously occupied land. Arriving on unknown land and claiming it can be a thrilling experience for colonists -- but at a cost. More often than not throughout the history of our world, this sense of success is a result of the eradication or forced evacuation of the Indigenous occupiers. The colonization of North America is a prime example of this type of situation.

The Trail of Tears, a perilous journey that the Indigenous people of North America were forced to complete in order to empty out land that European settlers desired, exemplifies the tragedy that often comes with colonization. European pilgrims first arrived to Cape Cod in 1620 on the Mayflower. They continued this voyage and eventually arrived in New England. Many didn’t survive to make direct contact with the Indigenous people due to illness. Those who survived worked together to create a treaty that prohibited either population from stealing one another’s possessions, harming one another, or meeting while carrying weapons. 1 Soon enough, the honor of this treaty began to wither before the Natives’ eyes. For the newly settled Europeans, the Natives were starting to be viewed as a threat to Christianity and a threat to their vision of a white, civilized nation. The Europeans believed that it was their mission from God to occupy this land - and they weren’t happy that Natives were standing in the way. The settlers attempted many options to deal with the so-called “Indian Problem”, such as attempting to 1 "Plimoth Plantation." About Us | Plimoth Plantation. Accessed February 03, 2019.

But when it came down to it, the settlers still couldn’t expand if the land was occupied by Natives, regardless of how civilized they were. This meant that their only remaining option if they were to get the land that they wanted was to eradicate the Natives. 2 The settlers were fed up. Frustrated that the Natives were refusing to give up their land and desire to expand and grow cotton increasing by the day, they began to approach the situation in a violent way. They stole, murdered, and destroyed both Indigenous property and population. Chief 3 of the Cherokee tribe, John Ross, was nearly killed in an attack against the Natives by a Georgian vigilante group in lieu of the hunger for land. When Andrew Jackson, whom had a negative history with Indigenous people prior to his election, was elected president in 1828, resentment towards Natives only increased. Jackson grew up witnessing attacks by Natives on settlers, and he saw them as needing to be controlled. Most white settlers were thrilled that someone in the government finally wanted to take action in not just altering the Native situation, but removing them once and for all. After deciding that removal was the most viable option left, Jackson signed off on the Indian Removal Act on May 28th, 1830. The Indian Removal Act would forcibly relocate five Native tribes to Oklahoma under the law.

 The deceased were buried in shallow graves along the trail. People were whipped for refusing to enter the wagons after stops for sleep. Many died from starvation after only being fed a piece of cornbread and a 5 turnip each day. A lack of freshwater resources caused for deaths via dehydration. The Natives were shot by American chaperones if they did anything to disrupt the route or upset a soldier. More than 4,000 Cherokee tribe infants, children, and adults died on the various trails. 6 Overall, many different routes were taken. There was a “water route”, which was taken on a rural portion of the Mississippi river. Surprisingly, they were brought via steamship as opposed 7 to on foot like the other tribes. John Ross’ wife, Elizabeth Henley, died on the ship along with many others. Since the rivers were unpredictable and dangerous, only a small minority of the 8 5 Burnett, John G.

The single route that 9 received the name “Trail of Tears”, originating from a Native-created phrase “The Trail Where They Cried”, trotted along the route between Rattlesnake Springs and a final destination of the Oklahoma Indian Territory. To arrive there, they had to walk to Tennessee, from there to Kentucky, from there to Ohio, then cross the Mississippi river, then end at the relocation territory in Oklahoma. 10 Now with stretches upon stretches of empty space to expand onto, the settlers didn’t skip a beat. Following the forced relocation of the Natives, in 1845, the term “manifest destiny” was coined by a journalist named John O’ Sullivan. The term was used to describe the idea that European settlers were destined, according to God, to own and live in North America. This 11 phrase therefore inspired a slew of new expansion. President James K. Polk, after promise of expansion during his campaign, won the election in 1844. His election spurred conflict between the settlements and Britain over the Oregon Territory, until the settlers ultimately succeeded in gaining the entire territory. Following this, Polk declared war on to Mexico in order to claim portions of Mexican territory.

Followed was both the California and Klondike Gold Rushes, which grew America immensely in population.12 In summation, the Natives of what we now know as America suffered an immense deal of suffering throughout their history in relation to white settlers who seeked their land. They were tragically wiped out, relocated, and shoved to the side while the settlers who caused this celebrated on their new land post - Trail of Tears. It’s up to us as historians to decide: Could the triumph of U.S. expansion have been experienced without the tragedy of Indigenous mortality?

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