AP U.S. History
Jessica Bender
ZINN CHAPTER 7: Study Questions
"As Long as Grass Grows or Water Runs"
1. What is the major theme (recurring idea) in this chapter.
The major theme in this chapter was about the Native Americans and their
survival due to the Americans taking their land, spreading diseases, and raiding their
towns.
2. What evidence does Zinn cite to illustrate the overall impact of Indian removal?
The evidence Zinn uses to illustrate the overall impact of the Indian removal by
talking about the book Fathers and Children. The author is Michael rogin and in his
book he talks about how native Americans were kicked from their land and how their
numbers began to dwindle until there were hardly any left.
3. Contrast Thomas Jefferson’s views as Secretary of State concerning Indian policy
with those during his presidency. Why did his views change?
Thomas Jefferson’s views changed from when he was Secretary of State and
from when he was President. When he was Secretary of State he thought that the
Indians should just be left alone, but when he became president he changed and kicked
the Indians of their land so the people of America would lean more towards him as a
President.
4. Explain Zinn’s use of irony when describing the Battle of Horseshoe Bend?
Zinn’s use of irony when describing the Battle of horseshoe Bend because he
talks about a man named Jackson who was called a hero for slaughtering hundreds of
Indians. A hero is not usually someone who slaughters hundreds of people, including
woman and children.
5. How does Andrew Jackson’s early political/military career foreshadow his
Indian policies as President?
Andrew Jackson’s early political/military career foreshadowed his Indian policies
as President because he was not a fan of Indians, so he fully supported the Bill to
remove all Indians.
6. How does Zinn’s view of the War of 1812 contrast with traditional histories?
Zinn’s view of the war of 1812 contrasts with that of traditional histories because
he believes that the war wasn’t necessary.
AP U.S. History
Jessica Bender
7. Create a basic outline of Jackson’s Indian-related activities and their
significance prior to his presidency (treaties, land speculation, etc.)
Jackson’s Indian-related activities and their significance to his presidency was
that because he had fought against the Indians and he didn’t favor them, this helped
him get elected.
8. Explain Zinn’s view of Arthur Schlesinger’s The Age of Jackson and Marvin
Meyers’ The Jacksonian Persuasion.
Zinn’s view of Arthur Schlesinger’s The Age of Jackson and Marvin Meyers’ The
Jackson persuasion is that the books concentrate more on his political and economical
accounts, not on his years battling the Indians. Both books make Jackson look like the
good guy, they don’t talk about him owning slaves and other heinous truths about him.
9. Describe evidence Zinn utilizes to assess the views of Lewis Cass vis-à-vis
Native American policy.
Evidence that Zinn utilizes to assess the views of Lewis Cass and the Native
American Policy was that a reporter wrote a piece on how Indians needed their own
rights since they were in America first. Cass thought that Indians shouldn’t be forced to
do what they don’t want to do, which meant not leaving America or being pushed off of
their land.
10. Create a table illustrating the fate of major Southeastern Indian tribes.
The American troops had forced a major amount of southeastern Indian tribes to
leave their land where they had been for generations and live somewhere else. Some
Indian tribes also moved without the aid of the army.
11. To what extent did the Cherokee nation change its culture in order to survive
within the U.S?
The Cherokee nation changed its culture in order to survive the U.S. so the new
society would accept them. So society would accept them they began to own slaves
and adopted Christianity as their religion.
12. For what purpose does Zinn juxtapose the Nullification Controversy of 1832
and the enforcement of Worcester v. Georgia?
Zinn juxtapose the nullification Controversy of 1832 and the enforcement of
Worcester v. Georgia because both were written toshow that Americans should not
bother the Indians.
AP U.S. History
Jessica Bender
13. Explain the significance of the phrase: "As long as grass grows or water runs."
The significance of the phrase “As long as grass grows or water runs” was that
Jackson had said this to the Indians. This meant that the Indians could have their land
and that no settlers would steal it from them. But Jackson had lied to the Indians
because there land was still taken.