The Trail of Tears.

The Trail of Tears

On September 15, 1830, at Little Dancing Rabbit Creek, the Chiefs of the Cherokee Nation and representatives of the U.S. met to discuss the impact of a bill recently passed by the Congress of the U.S. This bill, with all the same good purposes of those today who believe they know better on how to carry out the Indians' lives, allowed for the removal of all Indian peoples to the West of the Mississippi River.

It had been made clear to the Cherokees, that the Whites in Washington cared little for their situation, that either they willingly moved, or by military force they would be moved. The Indians were not ignorant savages, but hard-working farmers, merchants, and businessmen of all types. They were educated people, many were Christians. They had an organized system of government and a body of law.

The Chiefs and Warriors signed the treaty, realizing they had no option.

The Seat of Government

Same-sex marriage under United States tribal juris...

Me admiring written Cherokee

For doing this the government officials guaranteed, in the body of the treaty, safe transportation to their new homes. Further more, it included supplies and financial incomes, to assist the people to make a new start. One half of the people were to depart almost immediately, the rest the next year.

After the signing of the treaty, many saw their land and property sold before their own eyes. The "transportations" promised turn out to be a forced march. At the point of a gun, the pace killed many of the old, exposure and bad food killed most. Rotten beef and vegetables are poor supplies, even for the inactive. Many walked the entire distance without shoes, barely clothed. What supplies were given had been rejected by the whites. This cannot directly blamed on the government, nearly all of this was done by dishonest men,