The Comparative Of United States Indian Policy In Early Nineteenth Century

In the early19century, United States’ Indian policies include the Indianpolicies made in the Jefferson period, the policies made in the Monroe period, theIndian policies of Adams period and Jackson period. However, the historians alwaysfocus on the "Indian Civilization Policy" and the "Indian Removal Policy", these twopolices are made in Jefferson period in Jackson period. These two policies of differentstyles has had an important influence on Indians, when evaluated these two kinds ofpolicies, Historians and Anthropologist showed their different attitudes. Some peoplespoke highly of the kindness when Jefferson dealt with the affairs of Indians, somepeople criticized Jackson’s tyrannical migration policy, even some people thought bothtwo policies are hypocritical. However, couple of people agreed that the two policies arepragmatic.In this paper, I will give a brief introduce of Jefferson’s "Indian CivilizationPolicy", and first I will analysis the government’s attitude toward Indians andgovernment’s policy to Indians from the aspects of religious doctrine, school education,lifestyle and political subjects. Next, through understanding the The international anddomestic background in Jackson period, I will give a proper explanation of <IndianRemovacal>, which was published in1830. Because of the main social and economicaldevelopment, and which causes the increasingly pursuit of land and resources. Thenative Indians who occupy large areas of land and abundant of natural resources becamethe victims of such benefits. From the beginning of1831, Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw,Chickasaw and other Indian tribes that live in the east of the Mississippi River includeabout200000people, under the federal army’s escort, leave the land they have lived foryears, and was driven to desolate barren land lies to the west of Mississippi river. Aboutone fourth the population of Indians died on the way during the migration, the road ofthe migration is also known as "The Road of Tears." Through the analysis of "Indian Civilization Policy" in Jefferson period and the "Indian Removal Policy" in Jackson period, we can easily find that: Due to the differentinternational environment and the extent of domestic economic development, and thedifferences of effects of main ideology to the American leadership and different degreesof conflict in interests and other aspects between Native Indians and American mainsociety, the "Indian Civilization Policy" in Jefferson period are much more assuage andmore humanized than the "Indian Removal Policy" in Jackson period. Through thedissemination of Christianity, and the education of production and cultivationtechnology to Indians, teach Indians the strengthening of white society to help themmore civilized to some extent. American government will equally trade with whitesociety, through these ways American government helped Indians come into contactwith American main culture, however, as a result, the Indian indigenous and traditionalcultures was destroyed."Indian Removal Policy" during Jackson period compeledIndians who lived in the east of the Mississippi River, directly went away from theirhome, and road on the way which is so called " Trail of Tears." Indians face the dangerof extinction. On the background of United States national interests comes first and thebackground of the supremacy of the white Americans, the Indians absolutely becomethe victims of U.S. interests. The federal government Indian policy caused the injury toIndians in the early19th century could help us think over before we make a decision.