The Trail of Tears was a brutal and devastating forced relocation of the Cherokee people from their ancestral lands to Oklahoma. It's estimated that thousands of Cherokee died during this journey, which is just heartbreaking. Can you imagine being forced to leave your home, your family, and your way of life behind, and then having to start all over again in a completely foreign place?
But, despite all the hardships they faced, the Cherokee were able to thrive in their new home. They established new towns, built schools and churches, and even started their own newspaper. It's pretty amazing to think about how resilient they were, and how they were able to adapt to such a difficult situation.
So, what made the Cherokee choose Oklahoma as their new home? Well, it's not like they had a lot of options, to be honest. The US government had designated Oklahoma as "Indian Territory", and it was basically the only place where Native American tribes were allowed to settle. But, despite the challenges they faced, the Cherokee were able to make the most of it, and they even established their own government and laws.
Cherokee Nation history course enlightens citizens and non-citizens
