by Barbara Akowuah

Created on: July 02, 2008

The Indian Removal Act of 1830 was an act passed by congress under the Jackson administration that required the removal of East Indian tribes to western regions.

The Indian Removal Act took some 8 years to advance and eventually culminated into the tragic event known as the "Trail of Tears".

"The Trail of Tears", an expression that originated from the depiction of the exclusion of the Choctaw Nation in 1831, took place in 1838 under the direction of President Andrew Jackson in which thousands of Indians were forcibly removed from their lands.

The Indian Removal Act was filed under Chapter 168 and it specified that [it is] "an Act to provide for an exchange of lands with the Indians residing in any of the states or territories, and for their removal west of the river Mississippi."

The act was established by congress in order to limit the amount of territories the Indians were inhabiting westward. The Indians suffered many casualties during this period, there were estimates that thousands of Indians lives were lost due to exposure, disease and malnourishment.

Indian nations that were heavily effected by the mass exodus included the Creek, Cherokee, Choctaw, Seminole and Chickasaw nations. These nations were mainly concentrated in the south in the areas of modern day Georgia, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Alabama.

In the seven sections that are outlined in the Indian Removal Act the main objective for congress was to " divided into a suitable number of districts, for the reception of such tribes or nations of Indians as may choose to exchange the lands where they now reside, and remove there; and to cause each of said districts to be so described by natural or artificial marks, as to be easily distinguished from every other."

Native American leaders such as Seminole warrior Tuko-see-mathla gave a chance at resistance and others like Creek leader Selocta did try to appeal the process by pleading with law makers to pardon their expulsion.

Aside from these attempts there were no fervent protest against the acts. The U.S. government had been calling for the removal of Native Americans since the days of the Jefferson Administration and up until that point subsequent steps had been taken to gradually remove the Native Americans from southern territories.

The "Trail of Tears" will go down in History as one of early America's greatest tragedies. The Act has left a stain on President Jackson's legacy and left a dark cloud on the history of Native American and white relations in America.

Learn more about this author, Barbara Akowuah.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.