Andrew Jackson Case Brief

Joanne Wong

It was 1830, the Indian Removal Act was passed. Thousand of

settlers needed more land for their purposes. Plantation farmers
needed fertile land to grow their businesses and to feed their
families. Without the fertile soil, cotton cant grow. It was
the king crop of the U.S. in the 1830s and when cotton cant
grow, the U.S economy will not grow. Andrew Jackson helps the
U.S by giving people another chance to grow the U.S economy to a
better one. The Native Americans can move west of Mississippi
River where they can start a new life, a new home, and a new
start. The president, Andrew Jackson isnt guilty for his
so-called crimes against humanity. He never raped, tortured,
murdered; political, racial, or used religious persecution.
Jackson just wanted to make a change that will benefit all the
U.S.A.
There is plenty of evidence to back up that Andrew Jackson
is innocent. In exhibit A, which is an excerpt of the Indian
Removal Act, it states That it shall and may be lawful for the
President of the United States to cause so much of a territory
belonging to the United States, west of the Mississippi, not
included in any state or organized territory This means that
the President can move and exchange land, even the Indians
territory, and if the Indians dont like it, then they can
switch and trade lands amongst themselves. Indians blame
President Jackson because they had to move to a different land,
but it is not his fault, since in the Act, the President can
exchange or move lands. The Natives have space for their needs
and have the same freedom as before. They can still exchange
land with other Native American tribes.For this reason, Andrew
Jackson should not be guilty of crimes against humanity.
Another example that Andrew Jackson is not guilty based on
Defense Witness: William McLatchey. McLatchey said that We
needed new, more fertile land so that our cotton could grow
stronger than ever necessary to the strength of the economy of
the United States. The Indians were only using the land to feed
themselves, not to support hundreds, like we plantation owners
do we dont need them tainting the South anymore. This quote
shows that the plantation owners needed the fertile land more
than the Native Americans since they use it to support hundreds
or thousands and the Natives to feed themselves. The U.S needed
the land to build their economy since it is still growing. Also
plantation owners, farmers, and even slaves need it. More people
need it than a few Indians do. It is essential for the farmers
and the plantation owners have the fertile soil and without it,

then how can the plantation owners feed the slaves and how can
farmers feed their families?
Some may say that Andrew Jackson approved the Act (the
Indian Removal Act) and forced the Native Americans to a
different land and it is Andrew Jacksons fault. It is true
however because based on exhibit D, an excerpt of a letter from
Chief John Ross, it said, And now it is presented to us as a
treaty, ratified by the Senate, and approved by the President
(Andrew Jackson), and our (agreement) in its requirements
demanded, under the sanction of the displeasure of the United
States, and the threat of the summary compulsion, in case of
refusal This quote means that a group of random Cherokee
people (not the leaders of the tribe) made a fake treaty about
going to west of Mississippi and went to Washington City, but
now Andrew Jackson now signed it, the Native Americans have to
follow the Act. It wasnt Jacksons fault because he didnt know
that they werent the real leaders of the Cherokee tribe. It is
the Cherokees fault that they did that. He thought that they
were content of the offer he made and gladly accept his deal.
Therefore, Andrew Jackson is not guilty.
To recap what happened, Andrew Jackson clearly wasnt
guilty of committing crimes against humanity. The exhibits show
that Andrew had no choice but to move the Indians west of the
Mississippi, maybe because of more fertile land and that he had
the rights to move the land. As President, he had to help his
people. Jackson didnt know that fake leaders made up a fake
treaty (about going to west of Mississippi,) so it wasnt his
fault. He should not be charged with genocide, charges against
humanity, or illegal imprisonment because he never did that in
his life. Every thing he did is legal and based on the treaty.