On Indian Removal

Jackson characterizes the United States government as a compassionate entity charged with the task of safeguarding American territory and facilitating The Expansion of American Culture. How do the predominant cultural views about Indigenous versus Western societies contribute to this element of his argument? Are Jackson’s claims a version of the “white savior” narrative?

Jackson claims, “[T]he tribes which occupied the countries now constituting the Eastern States were annihilated or have melted away to make room for the whites” (4). Using a reliable source, refute or support his assertion. Why would Jackson mitigate the circumstances that led to the displacement and death of Indigenous Americans in the eastern United States?

Examine Jackson’s juxtaposition of Indigenous Americans and white American settlers in the fourth paragraph. What does this juxtaposition accomplish? How else does Jackson use juxtaposition in the speech?