Farewell Letter to the American People facts for kids

The "Farewell Letter to the American People" was a very important letter written by Choctaw Chief George W. Harkins in February 1832. It was published widely and spoke out against the forced removal of the Choctaw Nation from their homes to Oklahoma.

This letter also marked the start of a much larger process called the Trail of Tears. During this time, many Native American groups living east of the Mississippi River were forced to leave their ancestral lands. Chief Harkins wrote his letter to share the deep sadness and unfairness of having to leave your home just because others want your land. Many people still see this letter as one of the most significant documents in Native American history.

It is with considerable diffidence that I attempt to address the American people, knowing and feeling sensibly my incompetency; and believing that your highly and well improved minds would not be well entertained by the address of a Choctaw.... We as Choctaws rather chose to suffer and be free....

Why the Choctaw Were Forced to Move

It's hard to understand why the Choctaw people were forced to leave their homes. History doesn't show that they did anything wrong to cause this. The United States didn't have a good reason for it. The Choctaw were one of the largest tribes in the Mississippi area. They were also one of the first groups to be moved by a treaty with the U.S. government.

The Choctaw tribe had a successful way of life. They had their own economy and were able to support themselves. They didn't need help from the United States government to be wealthy or to survive. This made it even more confusing why they had to move.

The Desire for More Land

Even though the Choctaw Nation was doing well, many White American settlers really wanted more land in the West. This strong desire, along with a fear of Native American attacks, made Native Americans across the region targets for removal. Most White settlers felt this way. Hundreds of settlers even cheered for President Jackson because they thought he had a clear plan for the "Indian Problem."

President Calhoun believed that moving the Choctaw Nation first would help his plan for removing other tribes. He thought that if a strong nation like the Choctaw could be moved successfully, other Native American groups would also agree to move West.

The Treaty and New Leaders

The Treaty of the Dancing Rabbit Creek was signed on September 27, 1830. It was approved by a vote of thirty-five to twelve. This treaty stated that the Choctaw people would leave their lands in three separate groups over three years. Before this treaty, nine other treaties had been signed between 1802 and 1830.

After the treaty was approved, the Choctaw people chose new leaders. They felt their previous leaders, Greenwood Leflore and Mushulatubbee, had not guided them well. George W. Harkins was elected to lead the Northwestern Choctaws.

Harkins' Efforts and the Journey

Between the time the treaty was approved and put into action, Harkins worked hard. He helped many Choctaw people register as citizens of the United States. He hoped this would allow them to stay on their land.

In February 1832, the second group of Choctaws, including Harkins, boarded the Huron steamboat. While on the ship, Harkins wrote his important open letter.

What the Letter Said

Chief Harkins' letter had three main points:

• It criticized the settlers. They had promised better relations with the Choctaw Nation but kept breaking their promises with unfair treaties.
• Harkins sadly admitted defeat. He believed the only way for Native Americans to survive was to "form a government assimilated to that of our white brethren." This meant creating a government similar to the American one.
• The letter questioned why this terrible event was happening to the Choctaw Nation. They had been peaceful with the white settlers and had even fought alongside them in the Creek War of 1813.

What Happened Next

The removal of the Choctaw was just the first of many forced moves for Native American tribes. Harkins' letter was one of several letters written by Native Americans to the white settlers. It was written before thousands of Native Americans began a five-month journey after leaving Mississippi.

Many people became sick by the time they reached what was called Indian Territory. Sadly, many other Native Americans who were forced to move later also died. The U.S. government soon realized that moving the Native Americans cost much more than they had first thought. It was "two to three times the original estimate."

The Trail of Tears

After the Choctaw tribe was moved, President Jackson continued to create policies that forced Native Americans living east of the Mississippi River to leave. This led to the removal process known as the Trail of Tears. Five different tribal nations were forced to move. The Creek, Chickasaw, Cherokee, and Seminole Nations were removed after the Choctaw.

The Letter's Lasting Influence

The "Farewell Letter to the American People" was one of many public letters written during this time of forced removal. People started to wonder if public writing was the best way to tell the Native American story. There was a growing demand for more stories about the "tragic hero." Letters like Harkins' and other strong speeches became less common by 1840.

However, letters like this were often written and shared between 1774 and 1871. They gave Native Americans a chance to have an open discourse about their issues. This meant they could openly discuss their problems. Both Native Americans and white people would read these letters. Phillip J. Round described this as a way to connect with the public.

Writing and sharing these letters made Native American tribes seem more civilized and intelligent. It also allowed a true picture of the Native American experience to be shared and understood by the white population in the United States.

Some local newspapers saw the letter and the Choctaw tribe's removal as a tragedy. However, those who felt this way were a small group. It was much later in history, around the late 1950s, that more people began to see the forced removal of Native Americans as a tragedy caused by the desires of white settlers.