The Cherokee Nation and the Trail of Tears

This is an important and well documented book for all who have heart-felt interest in the history of the Cherokee. I also highly recommend the Pulitzer Prize-nominated book, Walking the Trail, One Man's Journey Along the Cherokee Trail of Tears by Jerry Ellis. It's about his 900 mile walk along the Trail of Tears and the book has become a modern day classic.

~The Cherokee Nation and the Trail of Tears: The Penguin Library of American Indian History~ is an intriguing and sad look at the Cherokee nation, one of the nations in what was called the five civilized tribes, which included the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole. Perdue and Green, both specialists in Native American history, have collaborated to produce a fascinating account of the beleaguered Cherokee nation. This short narrative history offers a backdrop to the history of the Cherokee Nation from hollowed antiquity to its first contact with the European world, and the uneasiness that ensued in the nineteenth century as white settlements fast encroached upon Cherokee land. A plague of European disease devastated the Cherokees in the earlier centuries of the European exploration of the New World. The Cherokee nation was unified in the early 18th century under the Emperor Moytoy, with the aid of an English envoy, Sir Alexander Cuming. In 1730, at Nikwasi, Chief Moytoy II of Tellico was chosen as Emperor by the Elector Chiefs of the principal Cherokee towns. Moytoy recognized the British king, George II. A delegation of seven prominent Cherokee traveled with Sir Alexander Cuming back to England, and stayed for four months. The visit culminated in a formal treaty of alliance between the British and Cherokee, the 1730 Treaty of Whitehall, which acknowledged Great Britain as the Cherokee protector. In 1785, following the wake of the War for Independence, the Treaty of Hopewell acknowledged the Cherokee Nation. In 1792, George Washington appointed an agent to the tribe, which represented their interests vis-a-vis the United States government. So enamored was this agent with the Cherokee people, he took up a Cherokee bride, and fiercely contested on behalf of their interests. Later U.S. agents were not so conciliatory. Gradually, of the course of time, new developments sprung up, and as the nineteenth century dawned, the Cherokees were forced to concede new territory. The Cherokee were squeezed and pushed back and forced to cede more and more land. Chief John Ross came to be a respected leader of the Cherokee creating a written Cherokee language. He was a tireless advocate for Cherokee property rights before the United States government. At every turn in protesting their grievances, the Cherokee were snubbed. President Andrew Jackson who earned acclaim as an Indian fighter had little sympathy for the Cherokee and snubbed their delegates to Washington, DC misleadingly informing them that the State of Georgia was possessed of full rights in deciding such controversies, when in fact the Constitution designated the general government of the United States as responsible with diplomatic relations with the Indian tribes. Chief Justice John Marshall was among the cast of characters in settling the fate of Native Americans east of the Mississippi. "The Cherokee Nation," declared Marshall, "is a distinct community, occupying its own territor

~The Cherokee Nation and the Trail of Tears: The Penguin Library of American Indian History~ is an intriguing and sad look at the Cherokee nation, one of the nations in what was called the five civilized tribes, which included the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole. Perdue and Green, both specialists in Native American history, have collaborated to produce a fascinating account of the beleaguered Cherokee nation. This short narrative history offers a backdrop to the history of the Cherokee Nation from hollowed antiquity to its first contact with the European world, and the uneasiness that ensued in the nineteenth century as white settlements fast encroached upon Cherokee land. A plague of European disease devastated the Cherokees in the earlier centuries of the European exploration of the New World. The Cherokee nation was unified in the early 18th century under the Emperor Moytoy, with the aid of an English envoy, Sir Alexander Cuming. In 1730, at Nikwasi, Chief Moytoy II of Tellico was chosen as Emperor by the Elector Chiefs of the principal Cherokee towns. Moytoy recognized the British king, George II. A delegation of seven prominent Cherokee traveled with Sir Alexander Cuming back to England, and stayed for four months. The visit culminated in a formal treaty of alliance between the British and Cherokee, the 1730 Treaty of Whitehall, which acknowledged Great Britain as the Cherokee protector. In 1785, following the wake of the War for Independence, the Treaty of Hopewell acknowledged the Cherokee Nation. In 1792, George Washington appointed an agent to the tribe, which represented their interests vis-a-vis the United States government. So enamored was this agent with the Cherokee people, he took up a Cherokee bride, and fiercely contested on behalf of their interests. Later U.S. agents were not so conciliatory. Gradually, of the course of time, new developments sprung up, and as the nineteenth century dawned, the Cherokees were forced to concede new territory. The Cherokee were squeezed and pushed back and forced to cede more and more land. Chief John Ross came to be a respected leader of the Cherokee creating a written Cherokee language. He was a tireless advocate for Cherokee property rights before the United States government. At every turn in protesting their grievances, the Cherokee were snubbed. President Andrew Jackson who earned acclaim as an Indian fighter had little sympathy for the Cherokee and snubbed their delegates to Washington, DC misleadingly informing them that the State of Georgia was possessed of full rights in deciding such controversies, when in fact the Constitution designated the general government of the United States as responsible with diplomatic relations with the Indian tribes. Chief Justice John Marshall was among the cast of characters in settling the fate of Native Americans east of the Mississippi. "The Cherokee Nation," declared Marshall, "is a distinct community, occupying its own terr

Since I was a little boy my dad has talked about the "Trail of Tears". My father has always been sympathetic to the plight of Native Americans and has been generous to their causes over the years. And so when I happened upon "The Cherokee Nation and the Trail of Tears" at my local bookstore I felt compelled to read more about it. Co-authors Theda Perdue and Michael Green are both history professors at the University of North Carolina. They have put together a marvelous little book that provides the background and context for fully understanding the events that took place in the Cherokee Nation during the 1830's. I found that what my dad had tried to impress on me was true. This was indeed one of the most shameful episodes in American history. Removal of Native Americans was certainly nothing new in the 1830's. It had happened any number of times before commencing with the removal of the Acadian people from Northern New England and Nova Scotia to Louisiana in the 1750's. But the Cherokees, under principal chief John Ross, had for many years tried to work with and accomodate the American government whenver possible. Time and again the Cherokees were the victims of broken promises from both the federal government and the state governments in Georgia and Tennessee. Seems like the treaties our government signed with the Cherokee nation were not worth the paper they were written on. The State of Georgia and its leaders were particularly harsh in their dealings with the Cherokees. The greed and ruthlessness exhibited by the leaders of Georgia would rear its ugly head again later on over the issue of slavery. Meanwhile, an increasing number of Cherokee leaders became convinced that the best option for survival would be to relocate the tribe to the Western lands the U.S. government had set aside in the state of Oklahoma. And so it was that a group of renegade Cherokee leaders led by John Ridge and Elias Boudinot entered into an agreement with the U.S. Government that would come to be known as the Treaty of New Echota. The treaty was signed on December 29, 1835 and would essentially provide for the relocation of the tribe to Oklahoma. According to the terms of the Treaty the U.S. government would provide substantial resources to accomodate the relocation of the tribe. Chief Ross remained opposed to the idea and argued that Ridge and Boudinot were not authorized to enter into such a treaty. But it was too late. Events were now out of control and time was running out for the Cherokee nation in most of the East. Over the next several years the removal of the tribe would occur in waves. As one might expect our illustrious federal government failed to live up to its part of the bargain in a great many instances. Thousands of Cherokee people died while attempting to make the 850 mile trek to Oklahoma. It was a journey that would take anywhere from 3 to 6 months to complete and many individuals would perish along the way due to starvation, dis

For its brevity and diminutive size, this book contains a wealth of information. Theda Perdue and Michael Green have compiled an interesting and compelling narrative on the events that lead to and followed the Trail of Tears tragedy. I have long known of my Cherokee ancestry and the perils my 3X-Great-Grandfather endured as he was forced from Georgia with his two small children. This is not one of those books that portends to criticize all whites or the entire U.S. government for the injustices Cherokees undoubtedly endured. Instead, Perdue and Green square much of the blame for forced relocation on Georgia's state officials who held nothing but contempt for treaties signed by the federal government with recognized tribal leaders. "The Cherokee Nation and the Trail of Tears," considers the fact that frequently good natured attempts to cooperate with the Cherokee Nation failed as much as opportunistic whites and political whims of the day sabotaged further efforts for an amicable and just relationship. REVIEW EVERY BOOK YOU READ, READERS, AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS DESERVE YOUR OPINIONS TOO!