Indian Removals in Indiana - Removals

Removals

In 1830 the Indian Removal Act was passed by the United States Congress. The state at first did not attempt any removals by the act, but following the 1832 Black Hawk War in neighboring Illinois, fear of the tribes grew and an organized effort to remove them from the state began. In July 1832 the Indian Services Bureau of the state was reorganized. Funds were appropriated to hold meetings with tribal leaders and offer inducements for them to leave the state for lands in the west. Although, in theory, the removals were supposed to voluntary, considerable pressure was put on tribal leaders to accept relocation agreements. Congress empowered President Andrew Jackson to offer any native tribes in existing states land on the west side of the Mississippi River in exchange for their territory.