When did the Trail of Tears start date? This question brings to mind a dark period in American history, marked by the forced relocation of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands to designated territories in the west. The Trail of Tears, a term coined by historian John Ehle, refers to the forced migration of the Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Seminole tribes during the 1830s and 1840s. The Trail of Tears began in 1830, following the passage of the Indian Removal Act, which authorized the forced removal of Native Americans from their lands in the southeastern United States to lands west of the Mississippi River.
The Indian Removal Act, signed into law by President Andrew Jackson on May 28, 1830, was a cornerstone of Jackson’s Indian policy. The act aimed to resolve conflicts between Native Americans and white settlers by relocating tribes to lands in the west, thereby opening up valuable land for white settlement. However, the act was widely criticized for its harsh treatment of Native Americans and its disregard for their rights and sovereignty.
The Trail of Tears started with the forced removal of the Cherokee Nation. The Cherokee were one of the most organized and educated tribes in North America, with a written constitution and a system of laws. Despite their attempts to resist removal, the federal government, led by President Jackson, ignored their protests and ordered their expulsion from their ancestral lands in Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina.
The first group of Cherokee to be forcibly removed from their lands departed from Ross’s Landing in Georgia on May 30, 1838. This group, known as the “Trail of Tears Emigrants,” consisted of approximately 1,000 people. Over the next few months, thousands more Cherokee were rounded up and sent on a grueling journey to Indian Territory, now known as Oklahoma. The trip was fraught with hardship, as the Cherokee were forced to walk long distances, often without adequate food, shelter, or medical care.
The journey itself was a devastating experience for the Cherokee. Many died along the way, succumbing to disease, exhaustion, and exposure to the harsh elements. Estimates vary, but it is believed that anywhere from 4,000 to 8,000 Cherokee died during the Trail of Tears. The Trail of Tears continued until 1839, when the last group of Cherokee arrived in Indian Territory.
The Trail of Tears remains a poignant reminder of the tragic consequences of the Indian Removal Act and the disregard for Native American rights and sovereignty. Today, the Trail of Tears is commemorated as a national tragedy, and efforts are being made to honor the memory of those who suffered and died during this dark period in American history.
