The Trail of Tears resulted in many Native Americans being forcibly removed from their homes. Why was this?

The Trail of Tears was a series of forced relocations of approximately 60,000 Native Americans between 1830 and 1850 by the United States government. The primary reason for this forced removal was the desire of the US government, led by President Andrew Jackson, to expand settlement into the southeast for white settlers, especially into lands that were highly valuable for agriculture and mining. The policy was fueled by a belief in the inherent superiority of white culture and disregard for Native American rights.

The Indian Removal Act of 1830 was the legislative act that provided the legal framework for the forced relocation of the Native American tribes. Much of the indigenous population in these southeastern territories belonged to what were known as the "Five Civilized Tribes": the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek (Muscogee), and Seminole. They were called "civilized" by colonial settlers because they had adopted many of the colonists' customs and had generally good relations with their neighbors.

However, despite various tribes attempting to resist through legal battles (such as the famous Worcester v. Georgia case) and negotiations, the pressure to relocate them increased. The discovery of gold on Cherokee land in Georgia further exacerbated these pressures. Andrew Jackson's administration resorted to the forcible removal of the tribes if they would not go willingly. The journey to the lands west of the Mississippi River designated for Native American resettlement was fraught with suffering, including disease, harsh weather conditions, and inadequate supplies, which led to the death of thousands of Native Americans, hence the term "Trail of Tears."