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Trail of Tears Facts

Katrina

Written by Katrina

Modified & Updated: 23 Sep 2024

Sherman Smith

Reviewed by Sherman Smith

Expert Verified Editorial Guidelines
Artist Depiction of the Trail of Tears

Many believe the Trail of Tears to be the darkest period in American history. Signed into law during President Andrew Jackson’s administration, the Indian Removal Act led to the relocation of American Indians from where they originally lived west of the Mississippi River to the east. People call this long trek the Trail of Tears because of how difficult and harrowing it had been for the tribes. To this day, many remember the Trail of Tears with the utmost respect–and for good reason. Find out why through these Trail of Tears facts you probably never knew about.

Quick Facts
Essential Facts
Interesting Facts
  1. The Trail of Tears began with the signing of the Indian Removal Act in 1830.
  2. The Trail of Tears lasted around 20 years.
  3. The U.S. government and the American Indian tribes signed over 40 other treaties during this period.
  4. The American Indian people comprised 17 different tribes.
  5. The Trail of Tears comprised different routes that spanned around 1000 miles long.
  1. The Cherokee tribe calls the Trail of Tears in their native language as nunahi-duna-dlo-hilu-i, which directly translates to “the trail where they cried.”
  2. The Founding Fathers struggled to maintain friendly relations between the natives and white settlers.
  3. White settlers deeply coveted American Indian homelands for their expansive land and gold mines.
  4. Some American Indian tribes moved willingly to the west because of promised land.
  5. The U.S. government dubbed this promised land for the American Indians as “Indian Territory.”
  6. The U.S. government used force, bribery, and coercion to move natives who refused to leave.
  7. The Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole tribes were the most notable American Indian tribes.
  8. The state of Georgia held lotteries to give away rights to Cherokee land to white settlers.
  9. The contentions between the state of Georgia and the Cherokee people peaked after the Indian Removal Act.
  10. Missionaries accompanied some Cherokee groups through the Trail of Tears.
  1. Western settlers dubbed the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole as the “Five Civilized Tribes.”
  2. Many knew the Cherokees to be the biggest tribe.
  3. Some of the American Indians in the Trail of Tears were of mixed race.
  4. Not all natives supported Cherokees taking part in Western traditions.
  5. Researchers today continue to piece together the routes taken in the Trail of Tears.
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