The incedient that became knows as the trial of tears took place in 1838; the Cherokee Native American Indian tribe was forced towards the west of United States of America. During this relocation, approximately 4,000 Cherokees lost their lives. The Cherokee language referred to as “Nunna Daul Isunyi” means “the trail where they cried”. “The trail of tears” not only refers to the Cherokee Indians but also refers to all such incidents in which the other tribes were emigrated from the United States.
The Treaty of New Echota: All such incidents which have taken place in the life of the American Native are referred to as the “Trail of Tears”. This painful phrase is even referred to as the Five Civilized Tribes. It owes its origin to the description given to the Choctaw nation’s forcible removal in 1831. This phrase was the result of the Treaty of New Echota. This was an agreement which was signed under the Indian removal Act of 1830. The main reason of this treaty was that the United States wanted to trade their eastern land for the western side of the Mississippi River.
Role of the President: This treaty was never accepted by the tribal leaders of the Cherokee Indian People. This treaty came into action after President Andrew Jackson signed it. The real trouble came along when President Martin Van Buren asked the Georgian troops to capture about 17,000 Cherokee Indians in round ups. The Cherokee Indians were put in concentration camps and it was after this incident that the Cherokee People were sent back to the West. Even the United States Military played a role in supervising the Indians.
The reasons: While the white population was increasing, the Cherokee Indians were rapidly being removed out of their land in Georgia and the Carolinas. Along with this growth of white population there took place a gold rush around Dahlonega which is placed in Georgia. The gold rush took place in 1830’s. One of the main reasons for removing the Cherokee Indians from their land was that they were not using their homeland as efficiently as they could. Some of them feel that the reason was humanitarian because President Andrew Jackson did not want them to face the fate of Delaware, Mohegan and Narragansett.
However, there is enough evidence to prove that they had adopted modern farming techniques and were facing economic surplus. In this case even the Supreme Court ruling was disrespected. The Cherokee Indian tribe was the last largest southern tribe that was to be removed. Some of them even opted to enroll themselves in the emigration process as they were scared by the treatment that was being given to the other Cherokee People.
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