Summary
In 1830, Congress passed the Indian Removal Act, which authorized President Andrew Jackson to move eastern Indian tribes west of the Mississippi River to Indian Territory. Often solely associated with the Cherokees, the Trail of Tears more accurately describes the forced removal of the Five Civilized Tribes, which, in addition to the Cherokee, includes the Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole. With a wealth of features—including illustrations, a chronology, bibliography, and further reading—The Trail of Tears, Updated Edition is an insightful and honest exploration of this dark chapter in Native American history.