Trail of Tears

The Trail of Tears refers to the forced removal of the Cherokee Nation and other indigenous tribes from their ancestral lands in the southeastern United States to designated Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River.

The removal was a result of the Indian Removal Act of 1830, signed into law by President Andrew Jackson, which authorized the federal government to negotiate treaties for the removal of Native American tribes.

The Cherokee Nation resisted removal through legal means, challenging the Indian Removal Act in the Supreme Court case Worcester v. Georgia (1832). However, the court’s decision was not enforced, and President Jackson proceeded with removal.

The Trail of Tears specifically refers to the forced migration of the Cherokee Nation in 1838 and 1839. However, it is often used more broadly to describe the removals of other tribes during the same era.

Approximately 16,000 Cherokee people were forcibly removed from their homelands, and the journey became known as the “Trail of Tears” due to the immense suffering and hardship endured by the Native American communities.

Harsh conditions, inadequate provisions, and exposure to the elements characterized the removals. Many Native Americans suffered from disease, malnutrition, and exhaustion during the journey.

The removal process resulted in the deaths of thousands of Native Americans. Estimates of the death toll vary, with some scholars suggesting that up to 25% of the Cherokee population perished.

The Cherokee removal began in 1838 when federal troops, often accompanied by state militia, forcibly evicted Cherokee families from their homes and herded them into holding camps.

The forced march to Indian Territory covered thousands of miles, with the majority of Cherokee people walking the distance. This arduous journey lasted several months.

The removal of the Cherokee Nation culminated in the establishment of the Indian Territory, present-day Oklahoma, as a designated area for Native American resettlement.