describe what happened during the Trail of Tears
The Trail of Tears refers to the forced removal and displacement of Native American tribes from their ancestral homelands in the southeastern United States to territory west of the Mississippi River. It took place between 1835 and 1838 under President Andrew Jackson's administration.
The Indian Removal Act of 1830 paved the way for this tragic event. The Act authorized the federal government to negotiate treaties with Native American tribes, exchanging their lands east of the Mississippi River for lands in the west. Many tribes, including the Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Seminole, were affected.
Despite legal battles and resistance from Native American tribes, the U.S. government proceeded with their removal. The process involved forcibly relocating tens of thousands of Native Americans to unfamiliar and often barren lands, resulting in the deaths of thousands due to exposure, disease, hunger, and exhaustion.
In 1835, the Treaty of New Echota was signed by a minor faction of the Cherokee Nation, which ceded their ancestral lands in exchange for compensation and relocation assistance. However, this treaty was highly controversial and not recognized by the majority of the Cherokee people. Regardless, the U.S. government used it as justification to remove all Cherokee from their homeland.
Starting in 1838, the Cherokee and other tribes were forcibly rounded up from their villages and forced to march for hundreds of miles under military guard. The journey was arduous with inadequate supplies, poor conditions, and forced marches. Many were not properly prepared for the journey and suffered greatly.
The Cherokee's journey, known as the Trail of Tears, was particularly devastating. Approximately 16,000 Cherokee people were forcibly relocated, and it is estimated that around 4,000 died along the way due to disease, exposure, and starvation.
The Trail of Tears is considered one of the darkest chapters in American history, highlighting the devastating consequences of forced displacement and the mistreatment of Native American tribes. It resulted in the loss of traditional lands, livelihoods, and cultural heritage for these tribes, leaving a lasting impact on their communities for generations to come.