Lesson 5: 1831-1850 Trail of Tears of Cherokee Tribe

Students up to this point in the unit have gained an understanding of the early relationship between the Native Americans and the U.S. Government. They have been exposed to various primary source documents relating to the impending removal of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands, and they have heard voices from both sides regarding the reasoning and the questioning behind these new platforms and policies. With this lesson, students will go beyond the opinions and voices and look extensively at the effects and the changes in lives of Native Americans. Students will now be exposed to the direct results of the Indian Removal Act and the unjust and inhumane treatment of the Native Americans through an in-depth analysis of the Trail of Tears.