The Trail of Tears
By: Jack Maher
The Cause
The Trek
The Trek to the Indian Territory was brutal. Jackson had made sure to enforce the law in the fall, not the spring, so that the Natives would have to walk through the Winter. Their walk was 1,200 miles long, through the cold and rain on foot, horse, or in a makeshift fort. They had nothing but their clothes they had on when they left. Most of the trip was on land, but they even had to travel through the water on this cold, winter trip. Many suffered from Whooping Cough, Typhus, Dysentery, Cholera and starvation on the way. They were given blankets, so that they could stay warm. However, these blankets were infested with small pox purposefully. Many of the soldiers didn't support these murderous actions because they were cruel. Finally the trek ended and the Natives were in their new home; which didn't actually seem like home. The Natives could only describe the trek in one way, Nunna daul Tsuny, which in Cherokee means "The Trail Where They Cried".