Trail of Tears

The Trail of Tears was a very sad and important event in Native American history. It happened between 1830 and 1850 when the United States government made about 60,000 Native Americans from the "Five Civilized Tribes" leave their homes. These tribes included the Cherokee, Muscogee, Seminole, Chickasaw, and Choctaw.

They were forced to move from their lands in the Southeastern United States to a place called Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River. This happened after a law called the Indian Removal Act was passed in 1830.

During the journey, many people got very sick, and some died from diseases, cold weather, and lack of food. Thousands of Native Americans sadly passed away either during the trip or soon after reaching their new homes. This event is remembered as a very difficult and unfair time for Native American communities.

Overview

In 1830, five groups of Native American nations—the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee, and Seminole—lived in the area known as the American Deep South. Pressure from American settlers led the government to pass the Indian Removal Act that same year, allowing the government to take land from these nations.

Starting in 1831, these nations were required to leave their homes. The Choctaw were the first to go in 1831, followed by the Seminoles in 1832, the Creek in 1834, the Chickasaw in 1837, and finally the Cherokee in 1838. Some stayed behind, but most were forced to travel west to a new area called Indian Territory. During this journey, known as the Trail of Tears, many faced hard conditions like bad weather. Over time, many Native Americans were moved from their lands east of the Mississippi River to make way for settlers.

Legal background

Further information: Worcester v. Georgia

The idea of a special land for Native American nations, called Indian Territory, began with laws that took away land from these nations east of the Mississippi River. This set up a system where Native lands would later be controlled by the U.S. government. In 1831, the U.S. Supreme Court decided in the case of Cherokee Nation v. Georgia, that the Cherokee nation was not a separate country, so they could not ask the court for help.

Later, in 1832, the Supreme Court decided in the case of Worcester v. Georgia, that the Cherokee nation was only under federal law, not state laws. This meant Georgia could not make laws for Cherokee lands. Chief Justice Marshall said the Cherokee had their own land where Georgia's laws did not apply.

However, President Jackson did not use federal officers to make this decision happen. Instead, he tried to make a treaty with the Cherokee for land exchange. Some of his political opponents were angry because they thought he was not supporting the Cherokee's rights. At that time, Native Americans were not considered United States citizens, and their land rights were not respected by many states.

Choctaw removal

Main article: Choctaw Trail of Tears

The Choctaw people lived in parts of what are now Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. After many treaties, their land was taken by the United States, and in 1831, they agreed to move west of the Mississippi River. They were the first group to agree to this move.

The Choctaw people traveled in groups, facing very hard conditions. The weather was very cold, and food was scarce. Many became very sick during the journey. About 17,000 Choctaw people made it to a place called Indian Territory, which later became Oklahoma. Sadly, some died along the way. Those who stayed behind faced many problems but later formed their own groups.

Seminole resistance

Main article: Seminole Wars

The United States took control of Florida from Spain in 1821. In 1832, leaders of the Seminole people were asked to meet and discuss moving west. Some agreed to check the new land, but later many changed their minds, feeling they couldn’t speak for everyone. In 1835, a group of Seminoles and others attacked soldiers, killing most of them. This began a long and tough fight against the U.S. Army. Over many years, many Seminoles were forced to move west, but some stayed hidden in the Everglades. By 1842, the fighting ended, and the remaining Seminoles in the Everglades were allowed to live in peace, becoming the only group that never signed a peace treaty with the United States.

Creek dissolution

Main article: Muscogee

After the War of 1812, some leaders of the Muscogee people, also known as the Creek, signed agreements to give up land to the state of Georgia. This led to the end of the Creek Nation in the South. Even though some friendly leaders tried to keep the peace, they were told they had to give up their lands anyway.

Later, in 1825, some Creek leaders signed another agreement to give up most of their remaining land in Georgia. This caused anger among many Creeks, and one of the leaders who signed the agreement was killed. The U.S. government later agreed that the agreement was unfair, but Georgia still tried to force the Creeks off their land.

Eventually, the Creeks living in Alabama were also forced to leave. They were given a choice: sell their land and move west, or stay and live under state laws. Many Creeks felt treated unfairly and sometimes fought back, which led to more conflict. By 1836, around 15,000 Creeks were forced to leave their homes and travel to land west of the Mississippi River. Many did not survive the journey.

Chickasaw monetary removal

See also: Chickasaw

The Chickasaw people received money from the United States for their lands east of the Mississippi River. In 1836, they agreed to buy land from the Choctaw people after a long discussion. They paid the Choctaw people $530,000, which would be a lot of money today. The first group of Chickasaw people moved in 1837, led by John M. Millard. They gathered in Memphis on July 4, 1837, with all their things, animals, and slaves. After crossing the Mississippi River, they followed paths used by the Choctaw and Creek people. Once in Indian Territory, the Chickasaw people joined with the Choctaw nation.

Cherokee forced relocation

Main article: Cherokee removal

By 1838, about 2,000 Cherokee had moved from Georgia to Indian Territory (present day Oklahoma). Forcible removals began in May 1838 when General Winfield Scott received an order from President Martin Van Buren to relocate the remaining Cherokees. On May 17, 1838, General Scott issued an order stating that kindness should be shown during the move.

The Cherokee Trail of Tears came about because of the Treaty of New Echota, an agreement signed under the Indian Removal Act of 1830. This treaty swapped Indian lands in the East for lands west of the Mississippi River, though it was not accepted by most Cherokee people.

During this time, the roles of men and women in the Cherokee Nation changed. Traditionally, Cherokee families were matrilineal, meaning children belonged to their mother’s clan. Women often controlled property and family matters. However, during the 1830s, Cherokee society began to adopt more Anglo-American ideas, where men held more power.

The land the Cherokee lived on became very desirable, especially after gold was discovered near Dahlonega, Georgia in 1829. This led to pressure on the Cherokee to leave. When Georgia tried to enforce its laws on Cherokee lands in 1830, it went to the U.S. Supreme Court. The court ruled that Georgia could not control Cherokee lands, but President Andrew Jackson chose not to enforce this decision. Instead, he supported moving the Cherokee west.

President Van Buren allowed Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Alabama to use soldiers to move about 13,000 Cherokees to Cleveland, Tennessee. After being gathered, the U.S. military oversaw the journey to Oklahoma. Many Cherokee died from disease, hunger, and cold during the trip.

The Cherokee began their 1,000-mile march in winter 1838 with little clothing and shoes. They faced many hardships, including having to travel far around towns and pay high prices to cross rivers. Many died along the way, especially during the journey through southern Illinois.

Some Cherokee chose to move earlier by water, which was faster, but those forced to walk suffered greatly. The removal caused not just loss of life but also loss of connection to their land and traditions. The Cherokee who remained in places like North Carolina were allowed to stay under special conditions.

The Cherokee Nation eventually recovered, and today they are the largest American Indian group in the United States.

Statistics

Legacy

The forced relocation of Native American nations, known as the Trail of Tears, has been called a "death march" by some, especially for the Cherokee journey through Tennessee, Kentucky, and Missouri in 1838.

There is ongoing discussion among historians about how to describe the Trail of Tears. Some see it as a form of ethnic cleansing, while others use the term genocide. Different views exist about whether the term "Trail of Tears" should apply to all forced relocations from the Eastern United States, only the Five Civilized Tribes, the actual routes taken, or specific groups rounded up later.

In 1987, a Trail of Tears National Historic Trail was established, covering about 2,200 miles (3,500 km) across nine states to remember the journeys of the Cherokee people.

The play Unto These Hills has been performed since 1950 to remember this history. There is also a yearly "Remember the Removal Bike Ride" where cyclists follow the old trail. Cherokee artist Troy Anderson created a special medallion to mark the 150th anniversary.

Books and poems, like Family Stories From the Trail of Tears, Walking the Trail by Jerry Ellis, and a poem by Ruth Muskrat Bronson, help keep the memory of this sad time alive.