Trail of Death

Indian Removal Act and Trail of Tears

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The Indian Removal Act

In 1829, the United States of America thought that there was a huge "Indian problem". Americans wanted the Native Americans to leave the land they had always occupied. The Native Americans believed they had the right to stay.

Trail of Tears

President Jackson signed the 1830 Indian Removal Act, forcing all Native Americans living east of the Mississippi River to move to reservations in Oklahoma. A reservation is public land set aside for the removal of Native Americans. Of course, Native Americans did NOT want to move, and they fought for their right to stay, but eventually they had no choice.

Multiple Choice

Most Native Americans moved peacefully to the new land.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

The Indian Removal Act of 1830 forced Indians to move

• to Oklahoma

• to Florida

• to the Louisiana Purchase

• to Canada

Trail of Tears

In 1838, United States troops forced over 15,000 Cherokees to walk 1,000 miles to Oklahoma. Their journey took over five months and lasted through the bitter winter months.

Multiple Choice

How many miles were Native Americans forced to travel?

• 3,000

• 500

• 1,000

• 100

Multiple Choice

What was the trail called that the Native Americans were forced to walk?

• Trail of Tears

• The Death Walk

• The March of Tears

• The Trail of Fear

Multiple Choice

Why was it called the "Trail of Tears?"

• harsh conditions

• There were many deaths.

• People cried over the loss of their "homeland".

• All of the above

Indian Removal and Trail of Tears

Ten years later, Native Americans living in California were forced from their homes because of the California Gold Rush. As thousands of people moved to find gold, Native Americans once again lost the fight to live like normal people. Ten thousand Navajo people were forced to move to New Mexico.

Indian Removal and Trail of Tears

There are still Native Americans living on 334 reservations in the United States. They continue to fight for property rights today.

Multiple Choice

The lands that the United States government set aside for the Native Americans are called reservations.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

The discovery of gold prompted the U.S. government to force the Native Americans in California to move to New Mexico.

• True

• False

Multiple Select

Why did the white settlers and the American Indians begin having conflicts? Choose TWO.

• White settlers felt they had the right to settle on Native America land.

• Native Americans built fences to keep the settlers' cattle out.

• Native Americans attacked white settlers.

• Gold was discovered on Native American land.

Multiple Choice

There are still Native Americans living on reservations today.

• True

• False

The Legend of the Cherokee Rose

When the Trail of Tears started in 1838, the mother of the Cherokee were crying so much that they were unable to help their children survive the journey. This is why so many children died.

The Legend of the Cherokee Rose

So the elders prayed for a sign that would bring strength to the mothers. The next day a beautiful white rose began to grow where the mothers' tears fell. The wild Cherokee rose still grows along the route of the Trail of Tears today.