History

            The beginning of American History was an egalitarian nation only focused on white males. Women, Indians and black people were treated unfairly and had no rights. Besides slavery, the "Trial of Tears" was perhaps the cruelest act of government in American History. Finally women's rights movements and the Seneca Falls Convention lead by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, paved the rights for minorities. The "Trial of Tears" and the women's rights movements were the most important events of the Jacksonian era. .
             Between 1816 and 1840 five tribes including the Creeks, Choctaws, Chickasaws, Seminoles, and Cherokees lived east of the Mississippi. Out of these five tribes, the Cherokees were the first to adapt to a civilized life. They adopted many policies of the white man, such as reducing the rights of their women, owning slaves, and running farms and factories. The tribe resided in Georgia and signed a treaty for the ownership of their land. With hopes of winning the upcoming presidential election, Andrew Jackson knew that he would have to come up with a policy to relocate the eastern Indians. In 1829 Jackson proposed the Indian Removal Act, which would take the Indians and move them to land west of the Mississippi. He thought this act would be better for them because they would be assured a homeland that no white people would be able to take away from them. In 1830, congress passed the act and the removal of the Indians was now set to take place. .
             Removal of the Native Americans proved not to be so easy. Most of the Cherokee were opposed to the removal and believed that there was no way for the government to make them leave their homeland. The minority of the tribe that stayed believed that the only way they could survive would be to sign a new treaty with the U.S. government. In December of 1835, Jackson sought out a treaty at New Echota, Georgia. About 300 to 500 Cherokee showed up to the meeting.