The practice of assimilation in the United States has continually been reinforced among immigrants from foreign countries, collectively integrating individuals regardless of race, religion, culture, or ethnicity. Essentially, the succession rate of assimilation in the present-day United States (immigrants obtaining U.S. citizenship or residence, adopting the English language, establishing homes and jobs, etc.) is evident of the Cherokee's choice to assimilate into European society. Regardless of the resistance eventually posed by other opposing tribes to assimilate, the practice proved to be essential in social interactions between the indians and the new European colonists. In 1820, John C. Calhoun, Secretary of War, examined the progress that the indians were making towards becoming civilized, "While many of the Indian tribes have acquired only the vices with which a savage people usually become tainted, by their intercourse with those who are civilized, others appear to be making gradual advances in civilization and industry. The Cherokee exhibit a more favorable appearance than any other tribe of Indians...the boys are taught agriculture & the ordinary mechanical arts; and the girls sewing, knitting and weaving". The interdependence of the natives and new colonists in order to establish better economies had become a profound motivator in their development of social interactions. By assimilating to the colonists' european "way of life", the indians had learned to become more civilized (converted to Christianity, received educations, learned new agricultural methods, languages, etc.) without theoretically "giving up" their own identities; the customs and traditions of both the colonists and the natives had been combined as they started to learn from each other. Furthermore, in 1791, Henry Knox, Secretary of War explained the advantages of imposing their European customs and traditions onto the native indians, "That the Cherokee Nation may be led to a greater degree of civilization, and to become herdsmen and cultivators, instead of remaining in a state of hunters, the United States will from time to time furnish gratuitously the said nation with useful implements of husbandry". Economically speaking, the natives had viewed the new colonists as their ultimate source of trade and information; the natives and new colonists desired new agricultural methods on improving their crops (both native and invasive), developing mutualistic relationships between the two groups in order to establish a stable economy. While the new colonists had arrived in the new world to receive profits off of the "vacant" land, the natives who had chosen to assimilate, became wealthy farmers and landowners with their newfound knowledge of producing sustainable crops. For this reason, in 1829, General Andrew Jackson questioned the motives of the Indians in creating a separate government, "A portion,
however, of the Southern tribes, having mingled much with the whites
and made some progress in the arts of a civilized life, have lately
attempted to erect an independent government within the limits of
Georgia & Alabama". In political terms, essentially, some tribes had chosen to resist against the will of the U.S. government; however, those that did assimilate temporarily prevented further tensions between themselves and the colonists, willingly signing away the rights to their homelands, and accepting new European settlements; the establishment of one mutually agreed upon government would help prevent future struggles.
2. Choose the policy towards the United States & white America that is the least beneficial for the Tribes to pursue. Describe one political, one social and one economic reason that this policy is the least beneficial for the Tribes. Explain your answer
The practice of resistance in the United States has continually been proven to have had adverse effects on the political, social, and economical standpoints of many americans. Essentially, individuals who resist against the U.S. government, or have views that oppose those of their peers, face the repercussions of their actions (isolation from their communities, potential jail time, conflicts among peers, bias, etc.) For this reason, resistance proves to be the least beneficial policy for any of the tribes to practice or establish in developing interactions with the new colonists, or furthering their own economies. In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson presented the problems with communicating with the natives, "The Indian Tribes have for a considerable time been growing more and more uneasy at the constant diminution of the territory they occupy, although effected by their own voluntary sales, and the policy has long been gaining strength with them of refusing absolutely all further sale on any conditions". Because some tribes resisted against giving up their native lands, or even the allowance for the colonization of the new European settlers, they were unable to trade with them to obtain valuable resources and information, severing social interactions between the settlers and the indians. Upon meeting the natives, the new European settlers had developed unfavorable opinions of their new "neighbors", and attempted to create a social hierarchy with indians at the bottom, thus revealing the disadvantages of resistance (only some tribes had resisted against the white colonists' control); no equality was established between the two groups. Furthermore, in 1802, The U.S. Congress initiated The Intercourse Act, placing restrictions on both natives and colonists due to the natives' resistance, "Be it enacted, that if any such citizen or other person, shall go into any country which is allotted or secured by treaty to any of the Indian tribes south of the river Ohio, without a passport, that person shall forfeit a sum not exceeding fifty dollars, or be imprisoned not exceeding three months". Economically speaking, resistance posed by the indians towards control by the U.S. government resulted in the new colonists being unable to settle on natives' lands by law (enacted when U.S. realized that relationships between indians and colonists were fragile). As a result, the indians were forced to rely on themselves to gain resources instead of relying on interdependence, which would have enabled them to gain profits out of their "vacant" lands; the colonists had more connections in the trade routes around the world which would have given the indians desirable profits. Additionally, President Andrew Jackson explained the natives' resistance and reactions to control by the U.S. Government, "....I informed the Indians inhabiting parts of Georgia and Alabama that their attempt to establish an independent government would not be countenanced by the Executive of the United States, and advised them to emigrate beyond the Mississippi, or submit to the laws of those states". In political terms, the natives eventually resisted against Jacksons' new policy, and tensions between opposing groups or "governments" had risen due to there not being any mutual agreements on rights. While some indian tribes were more open to assimilating with the U.S. government, some were also bent upon resistance; maintaining their own native lands.
