It was hard to get the citizens of the five
civilized tribes to move to Indian Territory.
They had to leave their homes and friends
where they had lived for many generations.

    Obstacles to Removal
    1.  they didn't want to go!!
    2.  Indian Territory was not safe, Osage
        and Comanche Indians were fierce.
    -
    3.  Federal Government had no legal
        jurisdiction to remove a group of people.

    Indian Removal Act  this law formalized the
removal of eastern tribes and strengthened the
authority of the U.S. government in carrying
out the program.
 
 

Stokes Commission  Map 1828-1907

Three commissioners led by Montfort Stokes
were to settle the problems that were delaying
the removal of the eastern Indians.
    1.  The commission set up headquarters
                    @ Ft. Gibson
    2.  Washington Irving, Charles Latrobe, and
    Count Albert de Pourtales were also in the group
    3.  Senecas were assigned extreme NE corner
    4.  Quapaws east of the Grand River
    5.  Osages moved to territory in Kansas
    6.  Contact western Indians  and get them
        to accept the 5 civilized tribes as neighbors
    7.  Station more troops @ Ft. Gibson,
Ft. Smith and other garrisons along the rivers

    To impress the western indians the First
Dragoon Regiment was assigned the mission.
    -
 Artist George Catlin accompanied the expedition
    1.  the heat took its toll, many calvary
                men died along the way
    2.  In 1835 western Indians came to Camp
            Mason and signed a peace treaty

Workbook page 13