In As Long as Grass Grows or Water Runs, Zinn focuses on the perpetual mistreatment of Native Americans in the United States. Andrew Jackson wanted to expand westward as the idea of manifest destiny started to burn through the hearts and minds of the American people. While many Americans have long believed that westward expansion was glorious, Zinn explains how that is not the case. Under Jackson and Van Buren, “Seventy thousand Indians east of the Mississippi were forced westward.” While Jackson is celebrated as a great president by some, many are now changing their tone on Jackson because of the mistreatment of Native Americans.
Jackson’s mistreatment of Native Americans can likely be attributed to a mixture of racism as well as American imperialism. One of his main arguments was that Native Americans just weren’t fit for American culture. For example in a speech Jackson said, “They have neither the intelligence, the industry, the moral habits, nor the desire of improvement which are essential to any favorable change in their condition. Established in the midst of another and a superior race, and without appreciating the causes of their inferiority or seeking to control them, they must necessarily yield to the force of circumstances and ere long disappear.” Jackson’s goal was always to make America the best country it could be, no matter the human cost. His utter disregard for human life is outright horrifying to me, and he committed a genocide out of greed.
After reading this chapter, I definitely felt disgusted by Andrew Jackson. It’s unbelievable to think that many individuals in the United States today could still consider him as a “great president”. Although he wanted to expand and improve America, his actions towards the indigenous people were diabolical. Despite his actions, he still remains the face of the $20 bill. How long will it take for the United States to listen to the people and replace his face with a more deserving individual?
The Jackson presidency is a great example of how history only tells part of the story. In my high school US History class, Jackson’s relationship with the indigenous peoples was never mentioned. Instead, I was taught that the focal point of his presidency was his criticism of the National Bank and opposition to the spoils system. After reading this chapter, that was clearly not the case.
I’d like to point out an often-glossed over fact about our current president. After his inauguration in 2017, Donald Trump picked Andrew Jackson’s presidential portrait to hang over his desk in the oval office. Just the same as any president, Andrew Jackson was a complicated man. However, I do think it is worth considering why Trump chooses to champion a perpetrator of genocide, and what that says about his standards of leadership.
I was somewhat shocked hearing about Andrew Jackson’s mistreatment of the Native Americans. I feel like recently when talking about the mistreatment of Native Americans Christopher Columbus’s name most frequently comes up, and there has been a ton of talk abut his holiday. While it is good that we are discussing his wrong doings, it is not enough to just talk about him and let everyone else slide.
I completely agree with your thoughts on Andrew Jackson. I had personally always learned about him as an immoral leader because of the political leanings of my early teachers, so it’s interesting to see how little his actions are rejected by certain people. Your point about his willingness to sacrifice the livelihood of the Indigenous people native to the Southeast reminds me of some of Zinn’s ideas from the first chapter of PHUS; though sacrifices are to be made for the progression of civilizations, those who are sacrificed should consent to the course of action taken.
How do you think it came to be that history has lightly brushed over the violence the indigenous people suffered at the hands of Americans rather than ever telling us the truth of what happened?