Native American History

Trail of Tears

Jan 1, 1838

Trail of TearsJackson prodded Congress to pass an Indian removal bill and under the threat of coercion, many tribes reluctantly moved out of their lands, except the Cherokees. But, even the key Cherokee resistance leader, Chief John Ross, was unable to negotiate the treaty that forced the Cherokees to leave their lands by 1838. 15,000 Cherokees were forced on this westward march to present-day Oklahoma and over 4000 died from exposure, disease, and exhaustion. This journey became known as the Trail of Tears.

Trail of Death

Sep 4, 1838

Trail of DeathThe treaty of 1836 forced Potawatomi Indians to sell their land and move west of the Mississippi River. Later John Tipton was instructed to take them even further west because Americans feared an uprising. This is what is known as The Trail of Death, which was the forced removal of the Potawatomi Indians from north central Indiana to eastern Kansas. Water was very scarce and any they found made them sick with typhoid. Out of 859 Indians 41 died and were buried along the way.