Louisiana Purchase Manifest Destiny Pony Express/Railroads   Lewis & Clark War of 1812  Gold Rush Pioneers & Oregon Trail  Indian Removal - Trail of Tears More Lesson Plans! Wild West Mexican American War 1846-48 See Also: Civil War  Free Presentations in PowerPoint format  & Free Interactive Games for Kids Trail of Tears, Indian Wars   The US government passed a law in 1830 called the Indian Removal Act. This allowed the US government the right to force Indian tribes to vacate their land and move to reservation lands, geographical areas the government had put aside for their use. Most Indian tribes did not want to leave their land. It was their spiritual and physical home. But the government sent in the army to force tribes to move. The Cherokee, like other tribes and nations, were told to leave. They had been given land in Oklahoma. The Cherokee refused to leave. The Cherokee took their case to the US Supreme Court. And they won! The Supreme Court said the Cherokee were right - the US government could not force them to move. But President Andrew Jackson directed the US Army to capture all the Cherokee they could find and force them to move. Most Cherokee had to walk the whole way. They walked through rain and cold and incredible heat. More than 4000 Cherokees died on the journey. That is why this forced eviction was called "The Trail of Tears."   Today, there are over 260,000 Cherokees in the United States. Most live in Oklahoma. Some still live in the southeastern region of the United States.   Trail of Tears: Map & Lesson Trail of Tears mini-unit (includes map) Native Americans Western Expansion: Other Lesson Plans Core Knowledge: Western Expansion Westward We Go! (pdf ) The Westward Expansion (pdf) Westward Expansion and Spatial Awareness (pdf) Blazing the Western Trails with 6 handouts The Western Movement   The West (pbs) Western Expansion lessons Western Expansion Lesson Plan (extensive) Struggle for Women's Rights in the 1800's (3 day mini-unit) What about my 40 acres and a mule? Mountain Men and the Fur Trade Colonial Life - At Home on the French Frontier (1700-1800) US History Eras of Revolution, Expansion, and Reform Prior to the United States Civil War (50+ pages!) Multicultural American West Our Nation Grows (activities, quiz, school site) Territorial Expansion (very helpful, requires shockwave) Key Dates - American West's Expansion Timeline Animated Map of Western Expansion All Rights Reserved Counter start date January 2006     Have a great year!