Video : The Trail of Tears Documentary (Youtube)

A PEOPLE'S HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES by Howard Zinn[Chapter 7: AS LONG AS GRASS GROWS OR WATER RUNS]

Andrew Jackson (1767 - 1845) was our 7th US President. "Old Hickory," was unlike any political leader we have had up to this point in US history.

The quintessential self-made man, Andrew Jackson, the son of poor Irish immigrants, rose from his humble background to become a national military icon and the 7th President of the United States.

During his terms as president, Jackson confronted some of the defining issues facing a nascent nation still searching for its identity.

By moving beyond the politics and ideologies set in place by the Founding Fathers, Andrew Jackson became one of the most striking, polarizing, and influential figures in American history (qtd from pbs.org).

Section A: Have you every considered the impact the Trail of Tears may have had on Modern-Day Native Americans? Were you aware that many who live on Indian Reservations today struggle with poverty, alcoholism and lack of job opportunities? Discuss your reaction to the "Trail of Tears" documentary.

Section B: How do historians look at the Indian Removal act? Please consider the POV article as to why Jackson removed the Indians. How does each author (Michael Paul Rogin and Robert Remini) argue these events? Please write 1-2 fully developed paragraphs for each author.

Section C:

Jackson was a land speculator, merchant, slave trader, and the most aggressive enemy of the Indians in early American history (Zinn, 98).

Imagine you are 100% Native American living in the time Andrew Jackson was President. How would you view him and his policies? How did President Jackson's Indian policy compare (in practice, rationale, and effect) to his predecessors? (Please include at least three quotes from the Zinn chapter to support your argument).