The removal of the Indians to the west of the Mississippi River is a tragedy of one which the government of the United States broke the treaties made with most of these nations, especially the Cherokee Nation, which whom treaties for land possession began with President George Washington and in 1802 the treaty to which in the 1830 the Cherokee Nation sued the state of Georgia on, but the Federal Government, on fear of Georgia withdrawing from the union hood sided with the State of Georgia breaking all the treaties ever made to the Cherokee and Creek Nations. These are two of what they called the 5 civilized nations.
The state of Georgia wanted the land the Indians had for they felt the improvements they made where enough that the white settler who wanted to move in were entitled to it, and when gold was found there was a gold rush that the military had to come and intervene for the sake of the Indians for the gold rushers and squatters were killing, stealing their animals and crops, and under new Georgia law no Indian could bring a white man to court for any reason. So the whole state of Georgia law was against the Indians and for the white man only. Despite the fact that the Indians were basically assured being able to stay in their Nation if they became "civilized" (became white educated, dressed white and farmed like whites and built their houses as white) became Christians (which a good majority did) and advanced as a "civilized" society which they did. The Cherokee Nation had schools run by missionaries (2 of whom were arrested by the state of Georgia for not pledging allegiance to the state and served 18 months of hard labor in the state penitentiary while their case Worchester vs. Georgia was heard in the Federal Supreme Court)Even with compliance the state of Georgia saw fit that the best thing for the Indians in their state was removal and removal it would be at any cost.
Despite a long and lengthy legal battle that went to the Supreme Court which ruled in favor of the Cherokee Nation to remain in their lands, President Jackson refused to uphold the decision of the Supreme Court Justice and allowed Georgia to continue with their plans of lottery of the Cherokee lands and removal across the Mississippi River. Which became known as the Trail of Tears for more than 4,000 died on the journey which was made in the late autumn early winter of 1838. Before their journey began, 3,000 who did not leave were rounded up and held in determent camps, where food and clothing were scare for these Indians. And most of the Indians were not treated nice.
The removal of the Indians also is of great controversy concerning the legality of the treaty signed by Major Ridge, John Ridge and others and the fact Chief John Ross opposed a treaty even in the face of knowing they were to be removed. The principal signers of what is called the "false treaty" were killed in the new site set up for the Cherokee Nation. This fraction between the Cherokees have been a long one that had to be healed.
Now the Government wants to take away the Cherokee Nation again. It faces a threat of loosing it's status because of some misunderstanding the Freedman Blacks and the Cherokee Nation had on Cherokee enrollment status. That has been cleared up but the courts still want to hear the case and the so the whole Cherokee Nation again lies in wait for a Federal Court decision as to whether or not they will exist as a Nation.
I find the Federal Government very unfair in all the dealings they have had with any of the Indians since exploration of this continent began,(and that includes how they treated those of Mexico and Canada) and how they have broken every treaty they made with the Indians all in the name of progress. I find it offensive how they have been referred to as "savages" when most of the time we were just as mean and caused them to react as they did to defend their homeland and homes. There is a saying with Indians with Guns "Defending The Homeland since 1492" that to me is the reality and truth of the matter. Europeans came into their homeland and took them first as slaves until Africans became slaves and then began to make and break treaties as they saw fit. The Indians have been trying to defend what they had in the end they lost and with it a lot of culture, history and Indians themselves disappeared.
The sad fact of the Indian removal was that again, after being relocated the pioneers moved west invading again Indian territory. So more land concessions had to be made until most of the good land was taken and they were left with land unable to farmed and poor housing conditions, which still is a fact now.
The Lakota (Sioux) Indians of South Dakota are among the poorest people in this country.
The removal of the Indians into what was to be their land of milk and honey has not been that at all. It has been a time of great upheaval, and poverty.