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Trail of Tears

As the United States began its expansion in the early nineteenth century, white settlers moved into the far south and started the westward move towards the Mississippi River. Native Americans had lived on this land for many years – land the new settlers wanted.

One of the resident tribes was the Cherokee who lived in western Georgia. The Cherokee had adopted many customs of the settlers, including building roads, schools, and churches. They were farmers and cattle ranchers. But their land was coveted by their new neighbors and through legislation and a bit of trickery, Cherokee east of the Mississippi River were removed from their lands in 1838 to what was then called Indian Territory – present-day Oklahoma.

This forced resettlement is now referred to as the "Trail or Tears" or, in the Cherokee language, "Nunna daul Tsuny", which means "The trail where they cried". The Cherokee were forced from their homes, rounded up at bayonet point, put into stockades, and then marched to the Indian Territory. It was a brutal trip during which 4,000 Cherokee people died of cold, hunger, and disease.

In this mini unit, you can: complete an entire learning unit on the Trail of Tears developed by the National Park Service, study the 1830 legislation that sealed the fate of the Cherokee, read accounts of the "Trail of Tears" from participants on both sides, discover facts about the Cherokee people and learn to speak a little Cherokee yourself.

Reading

Trail of Tears Complete Lesson Plan
(readings, maps, photos, and activities)

Removal Act of 1830

Eyewitness Account of Trail of Tears (John Burnett's Story)

Eyewitness Account of Trail of Tears (Samuel's Story)

Cherokee Facts

Timeline

Trail of Tears Timeline of Events

Activities

Cherokee Language Lessons

Recommended Resource

Soft Rain: A Story of the Cherokee Trail of Tears

In the spring of 1838, nine-year-old Soft Rain learns that there will be no more school for the Cherokee children in her North Carolina community. The Tsalagi (as the tribal members refer to themselves) have signed a treaty with the white men and will be moving to new lands in the West. A short time later, soldiers abruptly force Soft Rain and her mother from their home, abandoning the girl's blind grandmother, her dog, and her father and brother out working in the fields. They follow the Trail of Tears, the path taken by 18,000 Cherokee traveling from stockaded holding areas across rivers, valleys, and mountains. Kirkus Reviews)

Author: Cornelia Cornelissen

Amazon Price: $5.50

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