The Indian Removal Act was a law that was passed by Congress and signed by then-President Andrew Jackson on May 28, 1830, requiring the Native Americans, including --- Cherokee, Chocktaw, Chickasaw, and Creek tribes must be removed from the Southern states, their ancestral lands, to further the expansion of the United States. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayThe Indian Removal Act allows Jackson access to expand the United States westward and drive Native Americans to d other existing lands in the United States. Approximately 4,000 Native Americans died on their way to new lands notably called the “Trail of Tears.” President Jackson was later put on trial to determine whether he was guilty of the mass deaths that occurred during the implementation of the Indian Removal Act. When looking at United States policy towards Native Americans, it is clear that this policy was nothing but filled with lies and broken promises. At the trial, Andrew Jackson was on trial for the unconstitutional law that preceded the Trail of Tears and which resulted in the deaths of many Native Americans. The prosecution had been the first and each had testified against President Jackson. Each testifying about their story during those dark times and how they were involved in one way or another in the whole affair. The attorneys asked questions of each witness and questioned the defense while their own group of witnesses testified about their story and their support for Jackson. Jurors watched the entire trial and will have to decide whether Jackson will be found guilty or innocent. The policy pursued by the United States towards the Native Americans had from the start only desired their destruction by first trying to relentlessly take their rights. lands. The policies that had been put in place were the “Northwest Ordinance” and “Cherokee v. Georgia.” The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 stated that “the Indians were to be treated with “the utmost good faith” and specified that “their lands and property shall never be confiscated from them without their consent.” strong policy because the Europeans were always trying to take land from the natives. In Cherokee v. Georgia of 1819, the Cherokees filed a lawsuit against Georgia, claiming that the Cherokee lands and people constitute an independent government. The Cherokees had won the case, but that victory was cut short by the Indian Removal Act. The natives were notably known to be a very peaceful people, but they would go to war if it was absolutely necessary. Excerpted from Document E which contains a quote from Chief Joseph from a newspaper called "Harper's Weekly", Chief Joseph states: "If the white man will live in peace with the Indians...we can live in peace." There should be no problem. Treat all men alike...give them all the same law. Give them all an equal chance to live and grow. One might just as easily expect rivers to flow backwards, as that every man born free would be content to be herded and denied the freedom to go wherever he pleases. We only ask for an equal opportunity to live as other men live. We ask to be recognized as men. Let me be a free man....' But trying to make peace with the Europeans came at a price. At trial, when a defense witness named ''George Custer'' testified that he fought with his 210 soldiers at the Battle of Little Bighorn, a war that broke out following European intrusion, but he then lost and died. He declared that he did not admire.