Trail of Tears

Gustavo Quintero
English 48B
January 31, 2008
Journal #14 Sarah Winnemucca


Quote:
"I looked North and South and East and West, and saw nothing but dust, and I heard a great weeping. I saw woman crying , and I saw my men shot down by the white people"(Winnemucca 506).


Summary:
Sarah Winnemucca is describing the cruelty that the Native Americans faced when the whites came onto the Native Americans land.


Response:
This quote reminds me of the Trail of Tears. An unfortunate movement made by the Native Americans when they were forced to migrate onto new lands. Thousands of Native Americans perished. This quote shows just how cruel and unforgiving the whites were. They had absoulutly no compassion for the Native Americans. It can not begin to imagine what the Native Americans felt after existing on their land for thousands of years only to be kicked off and systematically killed by the whites. The one thing that I find so hard to believe is how Winnemucca's grandfather would tell the story of the long lost white brother. Even after they were treaded terribly her grandfather still gave the whites the benefit of the doubt. I'm very pleased that Scott has taught us so much about California's history that you do not get in conventional by the book classes.

Winnemucca's life, seen form just a few chapters in her autobiography, is an amazing one. The one thing I do not quite understand is why people would argue that she was mostly self promoting. To me it seems that she was speaking for her people and trying to rally for the Piute's lost land and rights. I know there is the argument of the Indian princess but that argument just does not hold enough ground for me. She may have dressed up in the stereotypical dress just so that the white people would accept her and listen to her words. To me she is doing whatever it takes for her cause.