Cherokee Nation

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At first, or so assumed, there were 14 tribes. Though through the years it narrowed down to 7, because of extiction and/or absoration. The tribe names were as followed

Ani-wa'-ya (wolf)

Ani-Kawi(deer)

Ani-Tsi'skwa(bird)

Ani-wi'di(paint)

Ani'Sah'a'ni

Ani'Ga'tagewi

Ani'-Gi-la'hi

The last three tribe names couldn't be translated with assured acccuracy.

The main reason of extinction was because of what is called 'The Trail of Tears'.

To settlers it meant new horizons. Dreams of riches and new lives. To the Cherokee Nation the journey west was a bitter pill forced upon them by a state and federal government that cared hardly a bit for their culture or society, and, thought that it was a rediculous thought, their justice. It was and is a travesty and tragedy of both our Georgia history and our American heritage that forced the Cherokee west along a route they called "The Trail of Tears."

1835 was a vital year in Georgia history. Three years earlier, to densify their claim to Cherokee land the state of Georgia held two land lotteries that divided the Cherokee Nation in 160 acre lots and gave them to anyone who had four dollars and won a chance to buy the land. Unfortunately, the Cherokee never gave the land to either the state or federal government and the Supreme Court (in Worchester v. Georgia) ruled that state did not have the power to make a treaty with a dominant nation.

John Ross represented the vast majority of the Cherokee and had all of their support. With settlers moving into the Cherokee Nation, Ross understood that making a deal for the land with the United States was his best option, since he was at risk of losing the all of nation to Georgia. In early 1835 he and his group wanted to deed a portion of the land to the US for an amount of money to be determined by Congress, with the rest of the property deeded to the Cherokee owners. The sticking point on the Ross deal was the requirement that the US and Georgia recognize Cherokee citizenship, including the right to vote and hold political office ect.. Neither Georgia nor the US would ever agree to this.

To recompense with the Cherokee for their loss without retaining some land and living a normal life among the settlers, Ross came up with the figure of 20 million dollars, or about 25% of the value of the land if sold separately to each settler.

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