Trail Of Tears Part 3

             Trail Of Tears Part 3

    In 1826 the Cherokees found gold in there territory. Almost as it seemed overnight the whites jumped up eager for there share of gold. Georgia passed a law that it illegal for Cherokees to dig for gold inn the state of Georgia.
   The Cherokees found no ally with the newly elected president, Andrew Jackson. Who is most famous for his slaughter on the Indians in the south.

  
   The was lead by John Ross and were very fortunate for it. Ross helped draft the Cherokee constitution, after this the Cherokees named him there chief in the year 1828. The position Ross held until his death in 1866.

   The 'Treaty Party' was a vocal minority, their leader was a man named John Ridge, who was responsible for the law that made it punishable by death to sell any Cherokee lands.

   

   John Ross was thrown out of his home when the Georgian government took possession of some of the more wealthier Cherokee farms. Many Cherokees were already thrown out of there homes and striped of their belongings by the Georgian government. 

   Later it was learned that the public opinion of the Cherokees were so unfavorable that the government gave the Cherokees 2 extra years to move out.

   In May, 1838 General Winfeild Scott arrived in Georgia to take leadership of the Cherokee removal. The Cherokees were forced from there homes on the spot, sometimes not even given enough tome to pack.

   On June 6,1836 over 800 Cherokees boarded into 6 flat boats at Ross landing, Tennessee, heading down the Tennessee River. Of over 800 Cherokees that left at Ross landing, 602 Cherokees made it to Indian territory. Completed on June 17,1838, the Cherokee round up too 25 days.

  Agent Smith (who was on the flatboats with the Cherokees) admitted that the Cherokees "were about naked, barefoot and suffering fatigue". But he also found that "their health was improving and they were well provided with transportation and sustenance". Smith gave the order for the march to continue.

   On July,13,1836 John Ross returned from Washington, and was able to convince the ear department to let the Cherokees organize their own way of travel. The Cherokees decided to travel in 13 groups of about 1,000 each. Unfortunately of the 3,000 Cherokees that traveled out of the East, 1,813 Cherokees survived.