What happened in The Trail of Tears? Summarize the event!
1 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. It was a result of the Indian Removal Act passed by the United States government under President Andrew Jackson. Approximately 60,000 Native Americans, including members of the Cherokee, Muscogee (Creek), Seminole, Chickasaw, and Choctaw tribes, were forcibly removed. The relocation process involved long and harsh journeys, during which thousands of Native Americans suffered from disease, starvation, and exposure to harsh weather conditions. It is estimated that thousands of individuals died during the journey, giving rise to the term "Trail of Tears." The event remains a dark chapter in American history and a significant violation of Native American rights and sovereignty.