History PUiy

THE TRAIL I0 F TEARS t

How the peopleofthe CherokeeNation becameexiles in their

own land

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PrologueNarrator A: Again and again, rifle buttsstruck cabin doors. The doors burstopen, and soldiers with bayonetsbarged in, People at their meals, includ-ing children and the elderly, wereforc«i from their homes and cursedat. Farmers in the field were draggedaway, unable to join their families.Narrator B: In the spring and summerof 1838, life changed forever for theCherokee Indians of the AmericanSoutheast.Narrator C: President Andrew Jacksonhad already forced some Cherokee togive up their ancestral lands for ter-ritory far to the west, in what is nowOklahoma (see map, 20). Beginningin May 1838, the U.S. Army drove theremaining families from their homes.How could this happen in a countrydedicated to the rights of its citizens?

SCIiNIE ONENarrator D: Our story begins in 1829,when the United States is a countryof 24 states, lying mainly along theEast Coast. The nation is pushing atits boundaries—and white settlers arehungry for land. The Cherokee of theSoutheast have tried to adapt to thenewcomers. Many are farmers andlive in wood or log houses. The mostprosperous Cherokee wear the fash-ionable clothes of white city dwellers,ride in handsome carriages, and livein two-story plantation houses.Narrator E: On territory granted tothem by treaties with the U.S., theCherokee create their own governmentand constitution, modeled on those ofthe U.S. The heart of Cherokee Nationlies in Georgia. In their capita! of NewEchota (EE-choh-tuh), Principal ChiefJohn Ross meets with his adviserMajor Ridge, Ridge's son John, andElias Boudinot. The men are worried.John Ross: Bad news. Whites have run

CharactersJohn Ross, Principal Chief ofthe

CherokeeMajor Ridge, Cherokee leaderJohn Ridge, Cherokee leaden

Major Ridge's sonCherokee WomanSupporterFriendElias Boudinot (BOO-dih-noh),

editor of The CherokeePhoenix; John Ridge's cousin

Andrew Jackson, President ofthe United States

John C. Schermerhorn (SKUR-mur-hornj, PresidentJackson's representative tothe Cherokee

SoldierCherokee FatherCherokee MotherCherokee GirlCherokee BoyNarrators A-F

off with more of our farmers' horses.Major Ridge: The trouble has grown, .worse since the Georgia Legislatureclaimed our lands last year. Whitesthink they can steal from us, and theU.S. govemment refuses to honor itstreaties with the Cherokee.John Ridge: Father, you and Johnfought with President Jackson in thewar against the Creek. Can't you per-suade him to protect us?Major Ridge: I don't know. Longago we buried the tomahawk andaccepted the white people. I'm proudthat you have been educated in theirschools and speak their language sowell. What else can we do?Ross: Whatever it is, 1 am determinedthat it will be peaceful. We cannot goback to the days of war.Narrator F: There is a loud noise out-side, The men rush to see what ishappening. A horse-drawn wagoncarrying three white settlers ridesrecklessly through town.Cherokee Woman (shouting after them):Bad men! Watch where you're going!Ross: They heard that gold was discov-ered here. Now settlers are pouring in.John Ridge: Another reason to get ridof us. We must stop them.Etias Boudinot: We should organizeand force Georgia to honor our trea-ties with Washington.

Narrator A: The Cherokee file the firstof two lawsuits challenging Georgia'slaws. The suits demand that the statehonor the federal government's treatieswith the Cherokee. Both suits will goall the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.John Ridge: However long it lakes, Iam confident that we will prevail.

SCIENE TWONarrator B: President Andrew Jacksonintends to "remove" the Indians tounsetded lands west of the MississippiRiver. At Jackson's urging. Congresspasses the Indian Removal Act in May1830. Still, the Cherokee hope to winin court. In February 1832, John Ridgeand Boudinot receive news from awhite supporter. . .Supporter: Did you hear? The SupremeCourt has spoken! Ghief JusticeMarshall and his Court ruled thatGeorgia's laws are unconstitutional.Boudinot: At last we have won!John Ridge: Our long wait has paid off.Narrator C: But soon thereafter. Ridgehears disturbing news from a friendin Washington.Friend: I'm sorry, John. PresidentJackson will not make Georgia obeythe Court's order.Narrator D: Desperate, Ridge asks tomeet with President Jackson.John Ridge: Mr. President, the Supreme

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American History i'lay

Court has ruled iu our favor. But wit!the United States government back us?Andrew Jackson: Out of respect for yourfather, I will tell you bluntly; No. Thepeople of Georgia want your land and,in the end, they will get it.John Ridge: But our treaties-Jackson: Look, John. In the vacantlands of the West, the CherokeeNation can grow to be the equal ofthe U.S. But if you try to stay here,your people will risk utter destruc-tion. I beg you to go home and con-vince them. It is for your own good.John Ridge: Sir, you have put me andmy people in a terrible situation.Narrator E: Ridge leaves in despair.He soon comes to realize that theCherokee have nowhere to turn.

SCENI- THREENarrator F: Months later, Cherokeeleaders meet in Red Clay, Tennessee.By now, John Ridge believes that the

Cherokee must agree to removalRoss: Are you saying we should takethe white man's deal and leave ourland? Those are the words of a traitor!John Ridge: And yours are the wordsof a fool. We have to make thebest deal we can with Washington.Otherwise, Georgia will surely seizeour land.Ross: We must fight on! In theCourt's ruling we have a strongweapon—the strongest in this land.John Ridge: Your head is hard, and sois your heart! President Jackson willnot enforce the Court's ruling. Youare giving our people false hope.Ross (tamins to Major Ridge): Andyou, old friend? Where do you stand?Major Ridge: My heart grieves to saythis, but I believe my son is right.Narrator A: The dispute causes a bittersplit among the Cherokee. The Ridgesand Boudinot form a faction calledthe Treaty Party. Most Cherokee stay

with Ross's National Party, whichopposes removal. President Jacksonrefuses to deal with Ross and hisgroup. On December 28, 1835, theTreaty Party gathers at New Echotato sign a new treaty with Jackson'srepresentative.John C. Schermerhorn: My friends,the Great Father, President Jackson,has been more than generous. Withthis Treaty of New Echota, the U.S.government will give the Cherokee5 million dollars! In return, youagree to trade your land here for anequal amount in Indian Territory.Major Ridge (to his son): Look around.Most of our people have stayed away.They want no part of this new treaty.John Ridge: Ross thinks he can beatthe U.S. government. We must saveas many of our people as we can.Major Ridge: Yes, but by signing thistreaty, I fear I am also signing mydeath sentence.

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SCE\ME FOURNarrator B: By late 1837, the Ridgesand about 2,000 Cherokee havealready moved west, to land grantedthem by the Treaty of New Echota.Then, on May 18, 1838, a shockcomes to Ross and the many Gherokeewho have stayed behind in Georgia.Soldier (pounding on a cabin door):Open up! By order of the U.S. govern-ment, you must leave this place today.Cherokee Girl: Mother, I'm scared!Cherokee Boy: What's happening?Why are soldiers here?Cherokee Father: Get out of my home!Narrator C: Gherokee are throwninto temporary camps withoutenough food and water. Then theyare forced to move west. Some arepacked into disease-ridden boats orrailroad boxcars. Most must travelby foot. In winter, the journeybecomes more difficult.

Cherokee Mother: Why have westopped moving?Cherokee Father: There is ice on theriver and no way to get a boat across.We must wait for a thaw.Cherokee Girl: Mother, that man is justlying there in the snow. He will die ifwe don't help him.Cherokee Boy: Many people have givenup. They have no blankets or shoes.Cherokee Mother: Set your face to thesun, children. We must look to thefuture in order to survive.Narrator D: The journey of more than800 miles takes several months. Of theestimated 18,000 Gherokee who setout in 1838, at least 4,000 die. One ofthem is John Ross's wife, Quatie, whohad given her blanket to a sick child.Narrator E: The survivors come to calltheir path the Trail Where They Cried.We know it as the Trail of Tears.

SCENIE FIVENarrator F: As Major Ridge predicted,signing the treaty proves fatal to him.On June 1839, Ridge, his son John,and Elias Boudinot are all assas-sinated by opponents of the TreatyParty.Narrator A: Removal to Indian Territorydoes uot solve the Indians' conflictswith the U.S. Soon, the country willgrow to surround and claim much oftheir new land. But Jackson's predic-tion is also right. Removal allows tbeCherokee to avoid destruction andretain their identity as a tribe. Tbemisery it caused will become anotherpart of the Cherokee heritage.

—Bryan Brown

Think About ItDo you think the Treaty Partymade the best decision under thecircumstances? Why or why not?Was President Jackson justified inremoving the Cherokee? Explain.

RiCSiHTS?For nearly two centuries,Native Americans did nothave the full benefits of U.S.citizenship.

'1789: The U.S. Constitutiongives Congress power to "reg-ulate Commerce... with theIndian Tribes." Indians arenot counted as U.S. citizens.

1887: Congress passes theDawes Act. tt is partly anattempt to break up Indiantribes in the West. The lawoffers citizenship to everyIndian who moves off Indianland "and has adopted thehabits of civilized life."

1890: The Indian Naturaliza-tion Act allows Native Ameri-cans to apply for citizenship,as immigrants do.

1924: The Indian CitizenshipAct extends citizenship andvoting rights to all NativeAmericans. Some states con-tinue to have laws that dis-criminate against Indians.

1957: Utah repeals (reverses)a state lawthat says Indiansliving on reservations cannotvote. Utah is the last state toeliminate such discriminatoryvoting practices.

1968:The Indian Civil RightsAct gives Indians protectionsagainst their tribal govern-ments similarto those oftheU.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights.

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