The impact of the trail of tears on the cherokee essay. The trail crosses rivers, waterways and portions of nine states. The epidemic of 183738 also spawned a narrative of deliberate white genocide against the original americans. Oklahoma the destination of 14,000 cherokee, who in 1838, following the discovery of gold on their lands, were forced to resettle on reservations after a long march named the trail of tears. Green paint a moving portrait of the infamous trail of tears. This is a fictional journal entry written in the voice of a young woman on the trail of tears. Early accounts of cherokee life in the east and voices from the trail of tears. This forced relocation became known as the trail of tears because of the great hardship faced by cherokees. This picture, the trail of tears, was painted by robert lindneux in.
Following the indian removal act of 1830, many members of the five civilized tribes did not wish to assimilate. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading walking the trail, one mans journey along the cherokee trail of tears. We had no shoes, noted trail of tears survivor rebecca neugin, and those that wore anything wore moccasins made of deer hide. The rise and fall of the cherokee nation reprint by john ehle isbn. Disease evolution is the result of the interaction of hosts, pathogens, and setting. The removal of the cherokee from their native lands has had a lasting impact on the tribe. Thousands of people died on the trail of tears, and the trail of tears was one of the worst human rights abuses in american history. Only the names remain recounts a sad part of our history. After i finished my third novel, on the african american and southern jewish experience in the 20th century, one image kept repeating itself, that. How native americans struggled to survive on the trail of.
Cherokee removal, part of the trail of tears, refers to the forced relocation between 1836 and 1839 of the cherokee nation and their roughly 1,600 black slaves from their lands in georgia, south carolina, north carolina, tennessee, and alabama to the indian territory present day oklahoma in the then western united states, and the resultant deaths along the way and at. Walking the trail, one mans journey along the cherokee trail of tears is on my list of books i will read again. The food provision was scarce, they suffered from severe diseases and a large number of the indians died from the harsh conditions and diseases. Whatever the reasons, ellisa former motorcyclegang member and a modernday romanticbuses and hitches his way to the cherokee nations capital of tahlequah, oklahoma, hoists his 50pound pack, and starts off along the shoulder of a lonely rural road toward the trail of tears s origin and the 18,000 cherokees original home. The forced relocations were carried out by government authorities following the passage of the indian removal act in 1830. Over time, the choctaw population declined because of disease and poor food and shelter. Cherokee patriots and the trail of tears finds its basis in the indian removal act of 1830.
The prominent early indian tribes in tennessee were the cherokee and. A sad reminder of the trail of tears remains today in many uniquely shaped trees along the paths the native americans took. Voices from the trail of tears real voices, real history. The only reason for this was that the united states wanted a large amount of land and forcibly moved the choctaw to oklahoma. The trees along the trail of tears why are they twisted.
One fall morning jerry ellis donned a backpack and began a long, lonely walk. Its known of the trail of tears because over 12,000 people were involved with the indian removal act. The migrants faced hunger, disease, and exhaustion on the. Walking the trail, one mans journey along the cherokee trail of tears kindle edition by ellis, jerry. This tragic event is referred to as the trail of tears. Crowder is the author of ghosts along the trail of tears 2. The journal entry is fiction however, the facts in the entry are true. The trail of tears resulted in a devastating effect for the indians who were forced to walk over 1,000 miles to oklahoma in a trip where they walked without shoes or enough clothing perdue, 2008. They lobbied congress, and created a petition with more than 15,000. In 1987, over 2100 miles of the original trails were named the trail of tears national historic trail by federal law.
But back then diseases were hard to cure, because there were not many doctors, but still the natives. Indigenous peoples of tennessee genealogy familysearch wiki. One example of disease evolution is the direct biological effects of crowding that directly influence a hosts susceptibility to disease. What were the weather conditions during the trail of tears. Africanamericans are the real american indians duration. The trail of tears was the name given to the forced relocation of native american nations from southeastern parts of the united states following the indian removal act of 1830. O what a sweeping wind has gone over, and carried its thousands into the grave. Home browse history united states history native american history trail of tears.
The first nations initiativeand faith along the trail of. The trail of tears is over 5,043 miles long and covers nine states. The eternal flame in the hearts of the cherokee nation could not and would not be extinguished along the trail. Those members of the cherokee, muscogee creek, seminole, choctaw, and chickasaw were forced to relocate in indian territory west of the mississippi. Cherokee patriots and the trail of tears the book an american betrayal.
James earle fraser s famed sculpture end of the trail, which debuted in 1915 at the panamapacific international exposition in san francisco, exemplified the idea of a broken, vanishing race. Second in a series entitled tales from the deeper south. At least 3,000 native americans died on the trail of tears. Disease evolution and hostpathogen interactions may have influenced native american disease history. Four thousand cherokee died of malnourishment, cold and disease along the way, under the generally indifferent u. With minimal food or clothing many did not even have shoes or moccasins on their feet, the cherokees were forced to march one thousand miles westward in a journey known as the trail of tears. The trail is called trail of tears because during the move of the cherokee tribe many people died along the way and many people were in tears. The choctaw had their own trail of tears as did the chickasaw, seminole, and creek. The migrants faced hunger, disease, and exhaustion on the forced march. Alabama, arkansas, georgia, illinois, kentucky, missouri, north carolina, oklahoma and tennessee. In brutal conditions, nearly 4,000 cherokees died on the trail of tears. They were not the only tribe forced from their ancestral land to locations west of the mississippi.
The dispute between the two groups took place with president jackson leading the americans and john ross leading the cherokee indians. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. It is the story of one mans selfdiscovery, his memories, his dreams and his loves. This book is beautifully illustrated with many detailed pencil drawings. List of books and articles about trail of tears online. Walking the trail is filled with descriptions and stories of the authors 60 days walking the trail of tears. Trail of tears disease cure even though the trail of tears had many deadly diseases that were deadly there were a few cures for diseases. The travel from their homeland was harsh, and thousands died. So as historians published their books about the removal of native americans from the southern united states they referenced the trail of tears a famous trail that was made possible by andrew jackson, the man who ignored the supreme court decision to allow the native americans to live as an independent nation. Stories of the trail of tears fort smith national historic site u.
The cherokee people called this journey the trail of tears, because of its devastating effects. The tribe most often associated in the public mind with the tragic events of the trail of tears is the cherokee. James earle fraser s famed sculpture end of the trail, which debuted in 1915 at the panamapacific international exposition in san francisco, exemplified the. It serves as an introduction to the cherokee nation and the trail of tears. Andrew jackson, indian removal, and the trail of tears. This book is dedicated to all the first nations people who suffered and died along the trail of tears and those who remained strong in faith throughout their terrible trials. The cherokee were illequipped for the grueling hike. The trail of tears was a series of forced relocations of approximately 60,000 native americans in the united states from their ancestral homelands in the southeastern united states, to areas to the west of the mississippi river that had been designated as indian territory.
The term trail of tears invokes the collective suffering those people experienced, although it is most commonly used in reference to the removal experiences of the southeast indians generally and the cherokee nation specifically. What diseases were faced on the trail of tears answers. Soft rain, a nineyearold cherokee girl, is forced to relocate, along with her family, from north carolina to the west. The trail of tears definitely impacted the choctaw. They sent their educated young men on speaking tours throughout the united states.
In the 1830s, the cherokee people were forced from their land by the u. Click this button for links to databases, indexes, or sites that help you find an american indian ancestor by topic or tribe. The first group of cherokees departed tennessee in june 1838 and headed to indian territory by boat, a journey that took them along the tennessee, ohio, mississippi and arkansas rivers. The cherokee nation and the trail of tears the penguin. The trail of tears was a series of forced relocations of approximately 60,000 native americans. This book will lead readers to both rethink american history and celebrate the spirit of those who survived. Those who survived left behind a life and culture that they had practiced for hundreds of years.
If you long to take a journey thats both very personal and very mythical, read this book. Americans from their homelands and relocated them on lands in indian territory present day oklahoma. There are many books written on the cherokee indian nation, as there should be. Estimates based on tribal and military records suggest that approximately 100,000 indigenous people were forced from their homes during that period, which is. Walking the trail, one mans journey along the cherokee. Trail of tears landmarks of the american mosaic coates, julia on. When native americans were slaughtered in the name of. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Learn about the tribes and bands, history, records, agency, and reservations of the indian of tennessee. Since the indians did not have the immune system the europeans had built up after centuries of contact with these diseases, simple contact could set off an epidemic. Today, the trail of tears national historic trail is run by the national park service and portions of it are accessible on foot, by horse, by bicycle or by car. Despite protests from statesmen like davy crockett, daniel webster, and henry clay, a dubious 1838 treaty drove 17,000 mostly christian cherokee from their lush appalachian homeland to barren plains beyond the mississippi. But john ehles book trail of tears is among the very best, and a must read.
Discover librarianselected research resources on trail of tears from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals, magazines, newspapers and more. George iii king of england during the american revolution, with whom the cherokee sided. Smallpox and other diseases brought by europeans and enslaved africans were more devastating to the cherokee and other southeastern indians than war. Asked in trail of tears during what months did the.
Trail of tears after the indian removal act of 1830, many native american tribes were forced into relocation to indian territories. The trail of tears was a very long journey for the choctaw. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. Native americans were marched through florida, alabama, mississippi, arkansas, tennessee, kentucky, georgia, south carolina and north carolina.
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