what happened on the Trail of Tears
The Trail of Tears was a forced relocation of Native American tribes from their ancestral homelands to designated Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) in the mid-1800s. The main events that occurred during the Trail of Tears are as follows:
1. Indian Removal Act of 1830: This act, signed into law by President Andrew Jackson, authorized the federal government to negotiate treaties with Native American tribes in order to exchange their lands in the southeastern United States for a reservation in the West.
2. Forced Removals: From 1830 to 1838, several Native American tribes, including the Cherokee, Creek, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Seminole, were forcibly removed from their lands. They were rounded up by the U.S. Army and made to march westward on foot, with little or no food, shelter, or provisions.
3. The Cherokee Nation: The most well-known tribe affected by the Trail of Tears was the Cherokee Nation. Despite efforts to resist removal, the majority of the Cherokee people were forced to leave their homes in Georgia and other southeastern states. They were given a brief period to voluntarily relocate, but when that deadline passed, federal troops were used to remove them by force.
4. The March: The journey of the Native Americans on the Trail of Tears was arduous and resulted in immense suffering. Thousands of men, women, and children were forced to march hundreds of miles over rough terrain, in harsh weather conditions. Many died from exposure, starvation, exhaustion, and diseases.
5. Casualties and Losses: The exact number of deaths during the Trail of Tears is not known, but it is estimated that around 4,000 Cherokee people died, making the mortality rate around 20-25%. The total number of deaths for all tribes is estimated to be between 10,000 and 30,000.
6. Resettlement: After reaching Indian Territory, the tribes were settled in designated reservations. However, these lands were often unsuitable for agriculture and lacked the resources needed for self-sufficiency. Many Native Americans had to adapt to a completely different lifestyle and struggled to rebuild their communities and preserve their cultural heritage.
Overall, the Trail of Tears was a tragic event in American history that resulted in the displacement, suffering, and death of thousands of Native Americans. It stands as a clear example of the injustices and mistreatment faced by indigenous peoples during the process of Westward Expansion.