Trail of Tears
Map of the Trail of Tears
The Trail of Tears is a trail that goes through Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. It was walked by native people in the years 1838 and 1839.
The native american people including the Cherokee, Muscogee (Creek), Seminole, Chickasaw, and Choctaw, along with with others in the United States were forced to walk the trail of tears. (Also the European Americans and African American freedmen and slaves) This was a relocation movement ordered by the government.
Andrew Jackson ordered the Trail of Tears because he wanted to easily exchange land from the east to the west. The east land belonged to the native people. Jackson used dispute between Georgia and the natives to force the natives to sign a removal treaty. The trail was used to relocate the natives to different land.
The Trail of Tears got it's name because it forced the natives out of their home. The Cherokee people called it "Nu Na Da Ul Tsuh Yi" which means "The Place Where they Cried". Almost 1/4 (4500) of the 18,000 Cherokee people on the march died.
The Trail of Tears caused the natives to suffer from exposure, disease and starvation on the route to their destination. The trail was very tough for the people who walked it. It was hardest on the Cherokee. They lost almost 1/4 of their people. Many others died, but not in such great percentages.
This relocation later lead to the Removal Act of 1830 declared by Andrew Jackson. By the year 1837, 46,000 Native Americans from southeastern states had been removed from their homelands to open 25 million acres for predominantly white settlement.
The native american people including the Cherokee, Muscogee (Creek), Seminole, Chickasaw, and Choctaw, along with with others in the United States were forced to walk the trail of tears. (Also the European Americans and African American freedmen and slaves) This was a relocation movement ordered by the government.
Andrew Jackson ordered the Trail of Tears because he wanted to easily exchange land from the east to the west. The east land belonged to the native people. Jackson used dispute between Georgia and the natives to force the natives to sign a removal treaty. The trail was used to relocate the natives to different land.
The Trail of Tears got it's name because it forced the natives out of their home. The Cherokee people called it "Nu Na Da Ul Tsuh Yi" which means "The Place Where they Cried". Almost 1/4 (4500) of the 18,000 Cherokee people on the march died.
The Trail of Tears caused the natives to suffer from exposure, disease and starvation on the route to their destination. The trail was very tough for the people who walked it. It was hardest on the Cherokee. They lost almost 1/4 of their people. Many others died, but not in such great percentages.
This relocation later lead to the Removal Act of 1830 declared by Andrew Jackson. By the year 1837, 46,000 Native Americans from southeastern states had been removed from their homelands to open 25 million acres for predominantly white settlement.
E. H. Willowcreek Middle School
Last Revised on March 28, 2013
Last Revised on March 28, 2013