Birthday Story of Private John G. Burnett - Assignment Example

due: Birthday story Elimination of Indians from their land could be contributed by other factors besides the obvious factor greed for the gold mine existing somewhere in the Indians’ land. The other reasons for this removal could be attributed to competing ideologies, party politics, altruism and ambition. By 1835, the Cherokee were divided, and most of them opposed the removal while supporting Principal Chief John Ross. In the 19th century, Ross had become the leader of the Cherokee resistance to the settlers concur of their land on which they had occupied for centuries.

Ironically, Ross was forced to lead his people in their removal to their new home. In May 1838, federal army troops under the command of General Winfield Scott began arresting the Cherokee and moving them in the stockade until they could be removed west. In this exodus, he even lost his wife, who succumbed to pneumonia after giving out her only blanket to a child (Byers 8). Party politics in a big way contributed to the removal. The U.S. government formally adopted a removal policy, carried out in the 1830a when President Andrew Jackson, from Tennessee, who was a forceful proponent of Indian removal.

President Jackson began aggressively to implement a broad policy of extinguishing Indian land titles and relocating the Indian population. Out of altruism, the troops treated the tribe members so unkindly, and the roundup was very cruel. Families were separated; the elderly and the ill were forced out at gunpoint and herded into forts with minimal facilities and food, something which resulted in many deaths of the Cherokees (Byers 8).Work citedByers, Ann. The Trail of Tears: A Primary Source History of the Forced Relocation of the Cherokee Nation.

New York: Rosen Pub, 2003. Print.