One of the great tragedies of American history began right here in Georgia. Starting in the late 1830s, about 16,000 Cherokee people were forcibly removed to Oklahoma from their homeland in northwest Georgia. Along the way, approximately 4,000 Cherokee died. In the Cherokee language, this event is known as nu na hi du na tlo hi lu i, which translates to “the trail where they cried.” Historians refer to it as the Trail of Tears.

Question

Following policy dating back to George Washington, a number of early white settlers thought the best way to get along with the Cherokee was to “civilize” them. This meant teaching them to be good Christians, encouraging them to give up hunting and take up farming, and preparing them to become loyal Americans.

A surprising number of Cherokee did exactly this. They stopped hunting, farmed land, and built wood-frame houses. Some even enslaved African Americans. This civilization policy appeared successful as the Cherokee developed their own written language, published their own newspaper, and wrote their own constitution. In short, the Cherokee made real efforts to assimilate.

But Georgia, like the rest of the country, was growing rapidly. White settlers wanted land, and the Cherokee had some of the best land in the Southeast. A popular Georgia song of the time told the story best:

All I want in this creation
Is a pretty little wife and a big plantation
Way up yonder in the Cherokee Nation.

Settler pressure grew even more when, in 1828, gold was discovered on Cherokee land in Georgia. White Georgians rushed in. The state passed laws which reduced Cherokee rights. The government even set up a lottery system that gave away Cherokee land to lucky winners. Fights between white settlers and Cherokee broke out. Many came to believe that the best way to protect the Cherokee was to move them far away.

In 1830, President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act, which ordered Native Americans to move to Oklahoma. Some Cherokee followed the order and prepared to leave. Others, led by Chief John Ross, fought for their right to stay. They even won a Supreme Court victory in the case of Worcester v. Georgia. However, President Andrew Jackson ignored the court’s ruling, and plans for “removal” went forward.

In 1835, some Cherokee signed the Treaty of New Echota, which ceded all Cherokee land to the federal government in exchange for five million dollars. However, most of the Cherokee, including Chief John Ross, wanted to fight until the end. This end came in 1838 when the US Army forcibly moved the Cherokee to Oklahoma. This violent action became the disaster known as the Trail of Tears.

Our focus now turns to the reasons for this action. These reasons can be organized into three main categories: politics, social prejudice, and economics. Examine the documents that follow and then answer the question: The Trail of Tears: Why were the Cherokee forced to move?

Answer 1

The Trail of Tears: Why Were the Cherokee Forced to Move?

The forced removal of the Cherokee people, known as the Trail of Tears, can be understood through three primary lenses: politics, social prejudice, and economics. Each of these factors played a crucial role in the decision to relocate the Cherokee and, ultimately, the execution of that removal.

1. Politics

The political landscape of the early 19th century in America was heavily influenced by westward expansion and the ideology of Manifest Destiny—the belief that Americans were destined to expand across the continent. The Indian Removal Act of 1830, signed by President Andrew Jackson, was a direct result of this expansionist sentiment. Jackson and many other politicians viewed Native Americans not merely as sovereign nations, but as obstacles to progress. The federal government, influenced by a mix of populist desires and political aspirations, supported policies that favored white settlement over the rights of indigenous populations.

Despite a Supreme Court ruling in favor of the Cherokee in Worcester v. Georgia (1832), which affirmed their sovereignty, Jackson's refusal to enforce the ruling demonstrated how politics could override legal decisions. The Treaty of New Echota, signed in 1835 by a minority of Cherokee leaders, was seen as a legitimate political resolution by the U.S. government, though it was vehemently opposed by many Cherokee, including Chief John Ross, who wanted to resist relocation.

2. Social Prejudice

Social attitudes of the era regarding Native Americans were rife with prejudice. Many white settlers viewed the Cherokee and other tribes as inferior and unable to adapt to American ways of life, despite evidence of the Cherokee's efforts to assimilate. This viewpoint was supported by stereotypes that depicted Native Americans as savages, which justified their removal in the eyes of many.

The desire for "civilization" often masked deeper ingrained racism; the efforts of the Cherokee to adopt European-American customs—such as farming, literacy, and Christianity—were overlooked by many who still saw them as unworthy of land ownership. In essence, social prejudice facilitated a narrative that painted the forced removal as a necessary and beneficial action for American society, disregarding the rights and desires of the Cherokee people.

3. Economics

Economic motives were perhaps the most compelling driving force behind the Trail of Tears. The discovery of gold on Cherokee land in 1828 intensified interest in the region, leading to an influx of white settlers who desired access to the wealth generated by the land.

As the economy expanded and white settlers sought land for agriculture and other ventures, the pressure on the Cherokee people grew dangerously intense. Legislatives measures, like the lottery for Cherokee land, further marginalized the tribe, stripping them of their assets. The economic argument for removal posited that in order to increase prosperity for white settlers, Native Americans needed to be relocated. This desire for resources fueled both local and national support for the Indian Removal Act.

Conclusion

The forced relocation of the Cherokee people was not the result of a singular cause but rather a confluence of political maneuvers, deep-seated social prejudices, and powerful economic interests. Ultimately, these factors led to one of the greatest tragedies in American history, where the rights and lives of the Cherokee were sacrificed for land and wealth, culminating in the disastrous forced migration known as the Trail of Tears. Understanding these dimensions is crucial for comprehending the events that transpired and their lasting impact on Native American history and relations in the United States.