The Indian Removal Act: The Forced Relocation of a Nation

Nick Lowenthal and Henry Knopes Senior Division Group Website

Nick Lowenthal Dr. Romeyn hematic !S History "#$#%&

NHD Process Paper Draft While considerin' the various topics related to the theme( )Ri'hts and Responsibilities)( one possible sub*ect stood out to us. We had both studied +merican history topics such as the ,ivil War( the +merican Revolution( and the ,ivil Ri'hts movement. However( we knew little about the history o- Native +mericans. We saw the .ndian Removal +ct and all we knew about it was that it was responsible -or the rail o- ears( one o+merica/s 'reat tra'edies. Nick has some ,herokee back'round( . was instantly intri'ued. We a'reed that it was a relatively unheralded and little discussed issue involvin' ri'hts than some o- the others. We looked into it a bit and saw *ust how much o- a in*ustice the +ct was and a'reed that we wanted to share the in-ormation we had -ound. We a'reed that a website would be the best way to share the e0tensive in-ormation on the topic. + website could be easily navi'able and have di--erent pa'es that would take the viewer step by step throu'h the history o- the .ndian Removal +ct. We be'an our research by investi'atin' secondary sources that provided basic history and in-ormation on the +ct. Some o- the databases we used are Gale and !S History in ,onte0t. +s we learned the -acts( we wanted to delve deeper into its history. We both read books on the topic that provided e0tensive and valuable in-ormation( much o- which we could/ve never -ound by ourselves. +-ter we that we started lookin' -or

primary sources and accounts o- the actions involvin' .ndian Removal -rom the 1acksonian 2ra. We were able to -ind -ascinatin' sources on Goo'le 3ooks( includin' a lon' article written by +merican 4onthly 4a'a5ine in %6&7 that had opinions on the +ct. We were also able to -ind documents -rom Supreme ,ourt trials and letters between many prominent -i'ures. he combinations o- all these types o- sources made -or an interestin' mi0 o- perspectives and in-ormation. .ndian Removal is an early e0ample o- the abuse o- the ri'hts o+merican people( in this case the +merican Natives. .t also e0poses the problems that can arise i- the 'overnment -ails to -ollow throu'h with the responsibility they have to protect those ri'hts. his is a topic that is somewhat -or'otten in +merican history but one that is also very si'ni-icant.