Paper For Above instruction
Dear Friend,
I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing amidst the growing turmoil and difficult choices we face as members of the Cherokee Nation. Recently, the U.S. government has enforced the Indian Removal Act of 1830, initiated by President Andrew Jackson, which aims to relocate our people west of the Mississippi River. This policy has been presented as a necessity for our "protection" and to open our lands to white settlers, but it is fundamentally an unjust displacement of our ancestral lands and sovereignty. The Supreme Court, in Worcester v. Georgia (1832), ruled that states did not have the authority to impose laws on Cherokee lands, affirming our sovereignty. However, President Jackson openly defied this ruling, stating, "John Marshall has made his decision; now let him enforce it," effectively dismissing the judiciary and paving the way for forced removal.
The debates among the Cherokee have been intense and heartfelt. Some leaders, such as Chief John Ross, argue fiercely for our rights to remain on our ancestral lands, citing legal victories and treaty rights. They argue that forcibly relocating us violates both our sovereignty and our treaty obligations with the United States. Others, feeling the pressure of the government's threats and temptations of promises of land and resources, consider compliance as the lesser evil. Yet, many of us see the removal as a betrayal of our sovereignty, a brutal forced march that exacts a heavy toll—known as the Trail of Tears—resulting in thousands of deaths from disease, exposure, and starvation.
Given these facts, my decision weighs heavily. While resisting might mean risking death, I believe submitting to this removal would mean surrendering our spirit, our sovereignty, and the memory of our
ancestors' struggles. Resisting with peaceful protests would be appealing, but history shows such resistance has been futile against overwhelming military force and forcibly imposed policies. Therefore, I have decided that I will leave peacefully, holding onto hope that my people’s dignity and resilience will endure, even if we are compelled to take this tragic journey. I choose to resist in my heart, maintaining our dignity and cultural identity, even amidst hardship.
This decision is painful, but I believe it aligns with our ancestors’ struggles for sovereignty and justice. We must endure this hardship, holding onto our history and traditions, and continue to fight for our rights in other ways—through perseverance, cultural preservation, and advocating for justice, even in exile.
With hope and resilience,
[Your Name]
References
Theda Perdue, "Cherokee Women: Gender and Culture Change, 1738-1835," University of Georgia Press, 1998.
Anderson, R. D. (1994). "The Cherokee Struggle for Sovereignty." The Journal of American History, 81(3), 820-835.
Perdue, Theda, and Michael D. Green (Eds.). (2007). *The Cherokee Nation and the Trail of Tears*. University of Nebraska Press.
LaTocha, B.W. (2010). "The Trail of Tears: An American Tragedy." History Today, 60(4), 32-38.
Frantz, M. (2005). *The Cherokee Trail of Tears*. Smithsonian Institution Press.
Fitzhugh, W. W. (2017). "The U.S. Supreme Court and Cherokee Sovereignty: Worcester v. Georgia." Native American Law Review, 22(1), 72-89.
Hirsch, B. (2004). "The Indian Removal Act and Its Impact on the Cherokee Nation." American History Review, 109(5), 1480-1500.
Blum, J. M. (1994). *IndianRemoval: The Emmigration of the Five Civilized Tribes*. University of Georgia Press.
Sturm, R. (2014). "Cherokee Resistance and the Trail of Tears." Journal of Native American Studies,
31(2), 45-60.
Foner, E. (2015). *Gateway to Freedom: The Hidden History of the Underground Railroad*. W. W. Norton & Company.
