The Forced Removal of American Indians from the Northeast

Between the settlement of Jamestown in 1607 and the Trail of Tears in the 1830s, millions of Indians were forced to cede land to European settlers and move westward. Relying on the words of those involved, this study explores the relocation of those Indians living east of the Mississippi River and north of the Ohio River and their transfer of 412,000 square miles of land. It examines presidential policies, the cultural and community splits within the "Five Civilized Nations" (Creek, Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw and Seminole) and the various ways in which Indians attempted to maintain their ethnic identity during their traumatic removal. By focusing on what was actually said and written during the time of the relocations, this work provides a window into the thoughts and attitudes of those on both sides of the controversy.