Forcefully Removing Native Americans

Definition

This term refers to the policy of relocating Native American tribes from their ancestral lands in the southeastern United States through coercive and often violent means during the early nineteenth century.

Related terms

Indian Removal Act: This law passed by Congress in 1830 authorized the removal of Native American tribes from their lands and their relocation to designated territories west of the Mississippi River.

Trail of Tears: Refers specifically to the forced removal and relocation of the Cherokee Nation from Georgia to present-day Oklahoma, resulting in thousands of deaths due to harsh conditions.

Reservation System: After being removed from their lands, many Native American tribes were confined to specific areas called reservations, where they were subjected to government control and supervision.