The Indians had two choices when grappling with the issue of western migration: acculturate or resist. Looking back on history, examples can be seen where both strategies worked, and there are also counterexamples for each. For the Indians, acculturation would bring a peaceful transition from Indian culture to American culture.
However, if the Indians decided resistance would be effective then a more violent future would hold true. Based on the effectiveness of Cherokee acculturation and the failure of different Indian tribes in their attempts to resist, acculturation proved to be a more effective method in grappling with western migration.
The Cherokees best demonstrate the ideal example of how acculturation could work. By welcoming the agents from the U.S. and allowing them to teach and explain American ideals to them, they were able to be successful in the American economy. George Washington in 1796 started a civilization program to help acculturate the Indians. The Cherokee......
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