Indian Removal Act of 1830

- The Federal Government, specifically Andrew Jackson, was given the power to pay Native Americans to move west

- Government and military officials were sent to force and travel with the Native Americans who had refused to leave

- The plan was to send them to the newly claimed “Indian Territory” which would later become modern-day Oklahoma

- The Native Americans and officials would take several different routes to their new homes.- Each of these routes would become part of “The Trail

of Tears”

1.Why do you think Americans wanted the land where these 5 tribes lived up

until the 1830’s?

2. What states are shown on this map?

Louisiana

Arkansas

Missouri

Mississippi

AlabamaGeorgia

Florida

Tennessee

Kentucky

Virginia

North Carolina

South Carolina

Texas

Illinois

3. Can you name any of the tribes who had land in the Southeastern United States before 1830?

Seminole

Creek

Choctaw

Chickasaw

Cherokee

Quapaw

Osage

Illinois Confederation

4. If you were forced to take the “Water Route” which four rivers would you travel?

Trail of Tears

Native Americans were forced to travel over 800 miles, mostly by foot.

Almost 4,000 of the 15,000-20,000 Cherokee would die on the journey from starvation, disease and exposure to cold weather

5. What or who do you notice from this famous painting of “The Trail of Tears?”

6. Which detachment was the most successful on their journey to the “Indian Territory?”

7. What does “Desertions” mean?

8. What does “Accessions” mean?

9. What differences do you notice about #1 and #3?

10. Why do you think no deaths be recorded for #8, #10, and #12?

454 didn’t make it

79 didn’t make it

180 didn’t make it

Exit Slip

Do you think the Indian Removal Act was

politically and/or morally right for the Americans to

do? Explain.