Andrew Jackson Democracy Pros And Cons

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The constitution of the United States reads; “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” This didn’t seem to apply to the Native Americans. An instance in which the Jacksonian Democrats violated the Constitution was during the "Trail of Tears". The Cherokee Indians called the journey Nunahi-Duna-Dlo-Hilu-I, which translates to "Trail Where They Cried”, now known as the “Trail of Tears”. The Supreme Court stated that the Jacksonian Democrats' actions were unconstitutional because they had issued the "Indian Removal Act". By doing this, they were in violation of the treaty of …show more content…

The United States Supreme Court said the land belonged to the Indians. Andrew Jackson was the only president in the history of the United States to openly defy a Supreme Court order. Jackson is said to have exclaimed “John Marshall has made his decision; now let him enforce it.” (Foner, 303) Andrew Jackson disregarded the Supreme Court ruling and forced the Native Americans to move westward. The Trail of Tears is one of Jackson’s most infamous legacies (Warshauer, Matthew). Once Andrew Jackson left office as President, the newly elected President Van Buren followed through with the plans of the Manifest Destiny and the Indians would not stop the settler’s greed for new lands and the promise of riches. Native Americans were forcibly removed from their native homes by federal soldiers under Van Buren. (Foner) They were moved east of the Mississippi River to the newly established "Indian Territories" in the west. The Cherokee Trail of Tears resulted from the execution of the Treaty of New Echota of 1835 which was an “agreement” signed under the Indian Removal Act of 1830. Hundreds and thousands of Native Americans, occupied many acres of land in Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina, and Florida, and many more tribes were removed from their homes and marched along the thousand mile trail to what is now present-day