In the 1800's the Native Americans were treated unfairly by white settlers and the American Government. The white settlers and the Government took their land. By cheating them through treaties or forcing them off with soldiers or after battles. One example of how Native Americans were treated unfairly was the removal of Cherokees from their land's and The Trail Of Tears.

The Cherokee culture had developed and thrived for almost a 1,000 year's. In the southern United States the lower Appalachian states of Georgia , North Tennessee, South Carolina and parts of Kentucky and Alabama. After contact with the white settlers they had shaped a government and a society that matched the most civilized of the time. In the 1800's the Cherokee started migrating because the white settlers and government were taking over their land's. The white settlers didn't like the Cherokee's because they felt the needed the Cherokee land for themselves. One of the reasons they wanted the land was because gold was discovered in Cherokee land. Then the government began kicking the Cherokee off their land's so they could have all the gold.

The Indian Removal Act was in 1830 when president Andrew Jackson authorized it. Some people didn't think it was right to support the Indian Removal Act. Such as Samuel Worcester who challenged Georgia's attempt to Remove Indian's from their land's in the state. He won before the supreme court.

The New Echta treaty was used to force 1700 Cherokee's from their Southern homelands. In the winter of 1838- 39 14,000 walked 1.200 miles through Tennessee , Kentucky , Illinois , Missouri , and Arkansas into Indian land. About 4,000 men , woman , and children died from disease , exposure , and hunger. It is now remembered as The Trail Of Tears.

To learn more about Native Americans or the Trail or Tears visit these sites:
http://rosecity.net/tears/
http://www.neosoft.com/powersource/cherokee/history.html
http://www.shadowwolf.org/
http://www.mce.k12tn.net/nation_grows/lesson_12.htm