What is the name given to the forced migration of America Indians in the late 1830s

History · Middle School · Wed Jan 13 2021

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The forced migration of American Indians in the late 1830s is known as the "Trail of Tears." This refers specifically to the removal of the Cherokee Nation from their ancestral homelands in the southeastern United States to an area west of the Mississippi River that had been designated as Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma). The Trail of Tears also has come to encompass the larger story of the forced relocation of the Five Civilized Tribes—Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole, Creek, and Cherokee—under the policy of Indian removal enacted by the United States government.

Extra: The concept of Indian Removal was formalized with the passage of the Indian Removal Act of 1830, signed into law by President Andrew Jackson. The act was justified by the government under the belief that it was beneficial for the American Indians to relocate to less populated areas where they could live free from the influence of white settlers. However, it was also driven by the desire of settlers to gain access to lands inhabited by the Native American tribes.

The Trail of Tears was a result of the enforcement of the Indian Removal Act. It was fraught with hardship and tragedy, marked by a series of forced marches that Native American tribes undertook under the watch of U.S. government troops. The conditions of the marches were terrible, and an estimated 4,000 Cherokee people died of cold, hunger, and disease along the way. For many, the Trail of Tears symbolizes the U.S. government's harsh and unjust treatment of Native American peoples during the 19th century, leading to a significant loss of lives, culture, and sovereignty among Native communities.