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The Long Bitter Trail Summary

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The Long, Bitter Trail: Andrew Jackson and the Indians written by Anthony F.C. Wallace is the story of the Native Americans being forced to move west in America in the 19th century. Wallace begins by introducing the desire for Native American land in the U.S. and ends with the aftermath of the Removal Policy and the legacy that still lives today. The book is organized into four chapters; The Changing Worlds of the Native Americans, The Conflict over Federal Indian Policy, The Removal Act, and The Trail of Tears. Though the book is brief, it is a great overview of the event. It is a simple read, as he has intended it to be “mainly for students of history and others primarily interested in this historical event” (preface viii). Wallace claims …show more content…

He has included no pictures, except the one on the cover of the Native Americans on horses and in wagons. There is however, one map located in the back of the book showing the areas that were previously occupied by the Chickasaws, Choctaws, Creeks, Cherokees, and Seminoles which was a great tool to refer back to. The tone throughout the book was quite sympathetic towards the Native Americans, which was almost fitting considering what happened during the years. Though, not everyone found the tone to be this, as some have called Wallace's tone calm. His writing is fairly easy to read as the book was intended for students. Wallace’s style is straight-forward writing and doesn’t include lengthy descriptions.
The Long, Bitter Trail doesn't break a new ground but it does present a new approach to the Indian Removal Policy. The author incorporates his ideas of anthropology into the book. For a student, this would be a satisfiable read because its is just a summary. However for people who want in-depth knowledge about the Native Americans there are more suitable, detailed books available. Overall, it is a good summary and review of the Native Americans being removed and their journey to the reserve in Oklahoma. Wallace simplifies the entire timeline of events into a worthwhile

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