The Cherokee Nation And The Trail Of Tears Analysis

Like many Native American Tribes, the Cherokee were systematically suppressed, robbed, dispossessed, and forced out of their ancestral homelands by Americans. This topic has become really difficult and uncomfortable to talk about for no reason other than embarrassment. We, as Americans, are mortified that our own country would partake in the act of forcibly removing a culture from it’s home. We are mortified that we let this become a socially acceptable way to treat Native Americans; but mostly, we are mortified that we conned the Cherokee Natives into signing an unlawful treaty that forced them to leave their Georgia homeland and move west via the Trail of Tears. The novel, The Cherokee Nation and the Trail of Tears, written by Theda Perdue

The west was an unfamiliar area to the Cherokee Indians, so they were nervous to go. Just like anyone else moving across the country, they did not know what to expect on the other side. They were afraid of things like taking another tribe’s ancestral land, crossing another tribe, starvation, and lack of resources/land. The Cherokee were also nervous that the Americans would do this to them again- if they can force them out of their land today, what will stop them from doing it again tomorrow? On page 117 in the book, it is stated that this Cherokee removal was “not an isolated incident”. There have been numerous tribes on various occasions that have been forced to leave their homeland time and time again, so it is understandable why the Cherokee would have this fear. In addition to these two fears, the Cherokee were also dealing with the idea of being separated from their land. To the Cherokee, it is believed that their land was given to them by their deity, making it sacred. The Cherokee Native Americans were connected to this ancestral land which was emphasized by the their culture, religion and beliefs. Although the culture could come to a consensus on their reasons for not leaving, they could not agree on whether to actually stay in Georgia or begin the journey to the

The two men had opposing views on whether or not the tribe should sign the treaty and go west, or reject the offer and remain in Georgia, potentially becoming homeless. Chief John Ross led the majority of the Cherokee Natives who believed that the treaty was unlawful because it disregarded the complaints of the Natives- they were feeling as if they were not being treated like members of the human race. This side called themselves the National Party. The National Party felt as if Americans were taking away their homes and their land (which they were), and leaving them to fend for themselves. This side wanted to stay in Georgia and fight for what is rightfully theirs and stop white political powers from forcing the tribe to