These tribes were forced to leave their ancestral lands in the southeastern United States and move west of the Mississippi River to designated Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma).
Thousands of Native Americans were forced to march long distances without adequate food, shelter, or medical care. As a result, many people died from disease, starvation, and exhaustion.
The Cherokee removal of 1838–1839 is the most well-known episode and gave rise to the term “Trail of Tears.” - The event represents a serious violation of human rights and Native American sovereignty.