why was the treaty of new echota controversial

The Treaty of New Echota was controversial because it was signed in 1835 by a small group of Cherokee leaders without the approval of the majority of the Cherokee Nation. The treaty ceded all Cherokee land east of the Mississippi River to the United States in exchange for money and land in the West. This forced the Cherokee people to relocate to the West, a process known as the Trail of Tears. The treaty was seen as a violation of the Cherokee Nation's sovereignty and was widely opposed by the Cherokee people.