During the early 19th century, the American social atmosphere was characterized by racial division, white supremacy, and westward expansion at the expense of minorities. Oppression towards minorities during this era was fueled by Andrew Jackson’s presidency (1829-1837), which included harmful legislative acts, citizenship rights, and his discriminatory stance towards minorities that influenced prejudiced American social dynamics at the time. Against the onslaught of Jackson’s reign were ethnic groups such as Cherokee Native Americans and New York’s people of color, who brought their voices to a knife fight by utilizing newspapers to protest injustice within the system. Amidst the tumultuous social period of America, the Cherokee Native Americans found …show more content…
Recognizing the deteriorating respect of their rights, the Cherokees addressed in a letter to Washington City about how they were once “treated as a nation”, however, nowadays they are viewed as “subjects” of the United States of America. In an era of political oppression, Cherokee people refused to advocate through violence, opting for civil disobedience through newspapers and treaty proposals. In papers such as the Cherokee Phoenix, Indigenous groups denounced Jackson’s presidency for its failure to “protect” tribal culture, as it was “guaranteed in their treaties”, and for breaching the fourth constitution by unlawfully seizing Indigenous land and relocating tribes to areas claimed by other Native groups. While the United States government did not recognize the Cherokee people as US. citizens, certain treaties granted them land rights. Understanding this dynamic, the Cherokee people included clauses in their letters such as people who remained on their reserved land and those born afterward would be granted US