7-1 Discussion: Historical Complexity


Consider the following statement: “In preparing for the Cherokee removal, state and federal officials were motivated solely by desire to seize the natives’ land.” In your post, consider the following:

  • Does this statement present the full picture? Revise this statement to present a more complex explanation of the motivations that drove state and federal officials (and the white citizens of Georgia) during the years immediately preceding the Cherokee removal. Explain the choices you made in your revision.
  • Next, consider how you can take a similar approach to your own topic in order to more fully understand the historical complexity. What other viewpoints would you want to further explore in order to more fully understand your topic?