In the early 19th century, the Cherokee, Creek, Chickasaw, Seminole, and Choctaw nations stood in the way of white settlement in the South, and Jackson made their removal one of the major goals of his administration.
While Jackson and his allies framed the issue as one of protection, arguing that removal would reduce inevitable conflicts between white settlers and Native Americans, lawmakers in the opposition—including Henry Clay—were inclined to be sympathetic to the Native Americans’ claim on the land.
These supporters, bolstered by advocacy in the Christian press, were particularly moved by the fact that some of these tribes had taken up agriculture and Christianity in response to white teachings.
