The Trail of Tears Routes |
Facts: > Between 1838-39, 17,000 Cherokee Indians were rounded up by the Government and forced from their homes. > The Cherokees were not the only ones to be forced, along with them were the Creeks and Seminole Indians. > They were jailed until boats could be found to take them by river to Fort Gibson, in Indian Territory(Oklahoma) > Not enough boats could be found and those left behind had to travel overland. > They were put on 645 wagons and on a rainy day in October they started marching through Nashville, Tennessee and up to Hopkinville, Kentucky. > On the way 4,000 died from exposure and fatigue. > Moved because gold was found on their land, near New Echota, the Cherokee capital > Most Cherokee's escaped to Western North Carolina, over 145,000 still live here today. |