“In the Senate of the United States, February 22nd, 1830. Mr. White, from the committee of Indian Affairs, reported the following bill which was read and passed to a second reading: A BILL to provide for an exchange of lands with the Indians residing in any of the states or territories and for their removal West of the river Mississippi.” On May 28th, 1830, the Indian removal act was enacted by President Andrew Jackson, and it was not justified to do this. After that 100,000 Native Americans were relocated, most by foot. “Though the Trail of Tears began with the forcing of individuals from their homes, the National Park Service interprets the trail as primarily having three trailheads--the emigration depots at Fort Cass (near Charleston, …show more content…
After the Cherokee who survived the trail walked more than 5,000 miles, they finally made it to Fort Gibson, Oklahoma. The long walk on foot wasn't easy at all. Whooping cough, typhus, dysentery, cholera and starvation were common to the Natives on the trail of tears. 2 weeks after symptoms of whooping cough are found, rapid, violent, and uncontrolled coughing fits begin. These coughing fits last months. Typhus causes high fever, headaches, chills, tiredness, and muscle aches. Dysentery causes fever, diarrhea, weight loss, nausea and vomiting. A severe case, like many of the natives, would be over in 24 hours, when they died. Dysentery is deadly to young people, to older people, and to the malnourished. The natives on the trail of tears were young, old and malnourished. “According to estimates based on tribal and military records, approximately 100,000 Indigenous people were forced from their homes during the Trail of Tears, and some 15,000 died during their relocation”. Every stop along the trail of tears, bodies were buried. Andrew Jackson wrote a letter to the Natives that resisted on March 16, 1835. “You are liable to prosecution for your offenses, and to civil action for a breach