Quck answer
The Trail of Tears was a forced relocation of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands in the southeastern United States to designated territories west of the Mississippi River in the 1830s. This relocation was a result of the Indian Removal Act signed by President Andrew Jackson. The tribes, including the Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek, Chickasaw, and Seminole, were forced to march thousands of miles under harsh conditions, resulting in the deaths of thousands of Native Americans. The Trail of Tears is considered a tragic chapter in American history and a violation of Native American rights.
The United States has a complex history regarding its treatment of American Indians, also known as Native Americans. This is a delicate topic for many individuals, and today’s Wonder of the Day® explores this important issue while respecting the heritage of our indigenous citizens and our country’s expansionary drive.
When you think of American Indians, what regions of the country come to mind? For numerous individuals, American Indians are associated with the American West. However, throughout most of history, American Indian tribes resided in various other parts of the U.S.
For example, in the early 1800s, the southeast region was home to nearly 125,000 American Indians who lived on millions of acres of land in states such as Florida, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, and Tennessee. These indigenous communities had inhabited and cultivated these lands for many generations.
Unfortunately, these tribes faced the influx of white settlers into these areas, who were seeking large plots of land for cotton cultivation. Considering the native tribes as savages, conflicts arose and the settlers increasingly attempted to displace the native tribes from their lands.
Some government officials aimed to “civilize” American Indian tribes, making them more similar to the Anglo settlers. They taught them the English language and literacy. They also encouraged them to convert to Christianity and adopt European economic concepts, including private land and property ownership.
Several American Indian tribes embraced these efforts in an attempt to peacefully coexist with the Anglos. Specifically, the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole, Creek, and Cherokee tribes became known as the “Five Civilized Tribes.”
As more settlers migrated to the region in search of land, the land occupied by the tribes became even more valuable. Regardless of how “civilized” their American Indian neighbors became, the new settlers demonstrated their willingness to do whatever it took to acquire the desired land, even using force to drive out the tribes.
State governments joined the white settlers in their attempts to remove American Indian tribes. They passed laws that restricted the rights of Native Americans and reduced their territory. Despite Supreme Court decisions in favor of American Indians, these efforts to displace the tribes persisted.
The federal government became involved in 1830 when President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act. This act authorized the federal government to take American Indian lands east of the Mississippi River and exchange them for land in the “Indian colonization zone” west of the Mississippi River, which is now present-day Oklahoma.
Although the act stated that the federal government must negotiate removal treaties voluntarily, peacefully, and fairly, the reality was far from that. Instead, the federal government systematically coerced American Indian tribes into surrendering their lands and relocating, often under the threat of invasion by the U.S. Army.
Over the next decade, tribes were compelled to abandon their lands and embark on foot journeys of a thousand miles or more to new lands west of the Mississippi. Without food, supplies, or any assistance from the government, the westward march was arduous, and many did not survive.
According to a Choctaw leader, the journey from their homeland to what is now Oklahoma was a “trail of tears and death.” Besides the difficulty of traveling such a long distance on foot, there was widespread starvation and many deaths from diseases like whooping cough, dysentery, cholera, and typhus.
By 1840, there were very few Native Americans remaining in the southeastern U.S. More than 100,000 Native Americans had been forcibly relocated to “Indian Territory” west of the Mississippi River, which is now Oklahoma. Historians estimate that over 15,000 Native Americans died during the Trail of Tears.
Give It a Try
Are you ready to retrace the Trail of Tears? Make sure to explore the following activities with a friend or family member:
- Can you imagine what it would have been like to walk the Trail of Tears? The immense suffering of the journey has inspired artists and writers for many years. Visit The Trail of Tears online to see a painting by Robert Lindneux that commemorates the suffering of the Cherokee people during their forced march.
- Do you want to get a better understanding of the different routes that make up the Trail of Tears? Visit the National Park Service website to access The Trail of Tears Interactive Map. Zoom in on specific areas to learn more about the significant sites along the trail.
- Use your imagination to put yourself in the shoes of a young Native American child during the 1830s. As you grow older, your life is filled with turmoil due to constant threats of relocation. Eventually, soldiers arrive and you are compelled to march over a thousand miles to a strange new homeland. Write a series of journal entries that describe how you feel about what has happened to you and your people. What will you miss about your home? What is the march like? What do you think your new homeland will be like? Share what you write with a friend or family member!
Sources of Wonder
- http://www.history.com/topics/native-american-history/trail-of-tears
- https://www.britannica.com/event/Trail-of-Tears
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