What is compact of 1802?

The compact of 1802 refers to a treaty signed by the United States of America and the state of Georgia in April 1802. It essentially allowed the federal government to purchase lands from the Creek Indian tribe in Georgia, in exchange for Georgia ceding its claims to lands that were then part of modern-day Alabama and Mississippi.

The treaty was important in paving the way for westward expansion in the United States, as it opened up vast new territories for settlement and development. However, it also had negative consequences for the Creek Indians, who were gradually forced from their lands by white settlers and eventually removed to reservations in Oklahoma.

The compact of 1802 was part of a larger trend of treaties signed between the US government and Native American tribes, many of which were highly contentious and ultimately resulted in the forced relocation of Native peoples. Despite this controversial legacy, the compact of 1802 remains an important marker of American history and expansionism.