Â鶹APP

Photo by Adam Jones –

Top 10 Amazing Facts About the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail

It was in 1838 when the government of the  United States of America forcibly removed the Cherokee who are Indian people from various homelands.

In number, they totaled 16,000 and above. They came from the following states originally: Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina, and Georgia.

This moving of Cherokee (Indian people) was not a very good thing because it resulted in tears. They were devastated and suffered many challenges including diseases.

This opened a tragic chapter in the United States of America as this was known by many, in fact, it became a global concern. This is how the name Trail of Tears came into being

However, the situation was brought about by the implementation of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. It mandated the removal of all American Indian tribes east of Mississippi River to lands in the West.

The Trail of Tears National Historic Trail commemorates the removal of the Cherokee and the paths that 17 Cherokee detachments followed westward.

The trail encompasses about 2,200 miles of land and water routes and traverses portions of nine states.

In order to remember this tearful moment, The National Park Service, in partnership with other federal agencies, state and local agencies, non-profit organizations, and private landowners, administers the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail.

Participating national historic trail sites display the official trail logo. The Trail passes through the present-day states of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.

The government focused on resettling them at Oklahoma which they did. It was not easy as the Seminole under the leadership of their chief Osceola resisted causing a war between the tribe and the government troops.

Seminole was one of the tribes of the Cherokee people. This tribe was led by Chief Osceola who was their spokesperson and also a known warrior.

Apart from Oklahoma, there are six other states under this territory namely Arkansas, Lowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.

The government of America recognizes these tribes to date. It has a registration of around 300,000 people.

However, the history of these states still has it that the Cherokee people are the current occupant of the states they were relocated to since then.

1. The origin of the name Trail of Tears

Photo by Wikimedia Commons –

The origin of the Trail of Tears came from Cherokee people. Trail of Tears reflected the terrible situation they went through. They faced hunger, diseases, and of course they were exhausted during their forced march.

4,000 of them died in the process out of more then 16,000 who began the march.

2. The States they Traversed

Photo by Wikimedia Commons –  

The Trail passes through the present-day states of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. The walk was miserable and most of the Cherokee people died on the journey.

3. The Cause

In the United States of America government in 1838, forcibly removed more than 16,000 Cherokee Indian people from their homelands. 

The decision was arrived after the Louisiana purchase added millions of less densely populated square miles west of the Mississippi.

It was the suggestion of Thomas Jefferson that the Eastern American Indians may be induced to relocate to the East of Mississippi to live in peace without interference away from the whites.

The Cherokee were not happy about this, hence they resisted. They were from Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina, and Georgia, and sent to Indian Territory which is Oklahoma today.

4. The settlement

The so-called Cherokee people were all settled in Oklahoma. Although they suffered. However, it was not a smooth transition as it is recorded to have taken 20 years for the relocation to take place.

5. Council House

Photo by Wikimedia Commons –

After they settled in Oklahoma, they set up an office which was their council house.

6. The Darkest Hour in America’s History

During the reign of President Andrew Jackson, there was a rule that was signed to relocate all the American Indians from the original location to the East of the Mississippi River from the West.

However, the move was carried out in a manner that left them hurting which became a historical event. It became the darkest period in America’s history hence the name Trail of Tears. It was a harrowing moment!

7. The Seminole Tribe Resistance

Seminole was one of the tribes of the Cherokee people. This tribe was led by Chief Osceola who was their spokesperson and also a known warrior.

The tribe resisted the move by the government and this created a fierce battle between the tribe and the American army.

However, in what was known as the Seminole War, they were defeated and so the move ended the resettlement of the Cherokee tribes to what is now called Oklahoma.

8. Seven Years of War

Photo by Wikimedia Commons –  

The Second Seminole war lasted seven years from 1835 to 1842. However, it ended after the government took its ground and refused o recognize their incorporation into the government.

Their Chief Osceola and their negotiator Chief John Ross were never accepted by the United States American government leadership of President Andrew Jackson.

9. The Great Negotiator

Among the Cherokee people was Chief John Ross who wrote the constitution of the people of the Cherokee nation in a bid to establish an independent nation of the tribe of Cherokee.

The government of the United States did not recognize Chief John Ross’s constitution, hence, the tribe of Cherokee reluctantly move to the west.

10. The Fact about the occupants of Oklahoma

It is of importance to note that the survivors from the different American Indian tribes settled down in Oklahoma.

The Chickasaws first settled down in Tishomingo, Oklahoma while the Choctaw people also settled nearby in southwestern Oklahoma.

Apart from Oklahoma, there are six other states under this territory. These include Arkansas, Lowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.

The Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma stands today as the largest out of the three Cherokee tribes legally recognized by the United States of America government.

Around 300,000 people are registered in the Cherokee Nation, and more than half of them currently occupy the state of Oklahoma, where John Ross and the other survivors arrived after the Trail of Tears.