The Trail Of Tears: A Trail Of Death
As John Burnett once said, “The trail of the exiles was a trail of death”. This perfectly describes the Trail of Tears- a journey in which 15,000 Cherokees were forced to walk about 1,000 miles in the harsh cold winter. The Trail of Tears was a horrifying event- full of hunger, diseases, exhaustion, and death. The seventh president of the United States of America, Andrew Jackson, was the cause of this brutal and heartbreaking journey. He forcibly transferred the Cherokees from their home on the Trail of Tears, was prejudiced and discriminated against the Native Americans, and was responsible for inhumane acts that caused suffering. Due to the events leading up to and during the Trail of Tears, Andrew Jackson is guilty of committing crimes
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During the Trail of Tears, about 4,000 Cherokees died due to sickness, hunger, and exposure to unsanitary environments. All of these deaths could have been prevented if Andrew Jackson provided enough supplies for the Cherokees. In Article 8 of the Treaty of New Echota, it was promised to the Cherokees that a “sufficient number of steamboats and baggage-wagons shall be furnished to remove them comfortably”. However, there were only six hundred and forty- five wagons for the Cherokees (John G. Burnett’s Story of the Removal of the Cherokees). How is this a sufficient number of wagons for sixteen thousand people, not including the soldiers provided to guide them on the trail? This is not right. Also, before the Trail of Tears, the Cherokees were forced into stockades. These stockades were filthy, infested with diseases, and filled with mud. The water was polluted and the Cherokees were prone to illnesses, such as smallpox, malaria, and cholera (Alchin). These diseases could have been prevented if Andrew Jackson had provided more supplies for the Cherokees. With better shelter and sanitation supplies, these 4,000 people would not have died. In fact, about 2,000 of the deaths were in these stockades (Alchin). Due to Andrew Jackson’s lack of supplies and inhumane act that caused suffering, it is clear that he is guilty of committing crimes against
During the Trail of Tears, about 4,000 Cherokees died due to sickness, hunger, and exposure to unsanitary environments. All of these deaths could have been prevented if Andrew Jackson provided enough supplies for the Cherokees. In Article 8 of the Treaty of New Echota, it was promised to the Cherokees that a “sufficient number of steamboats and baggage-wagons shall be furnished to remove them comfortably”. However, there were only six hundred and forty- five wagons for the Cherokees (John G. Burnett’s Story of the Removal of the Cherokees). How is this a sufficient number of wagons for sixteen thousand people, not including the soldiers provided to guide them on the trail? This is not right. Also, before the Trail of Tears, the Cherokees were forced into stockades. These stockades were filthy, infested with diseases, and filled with mud. The water was polluted and the Cherokees were prone to illnesses, such as smallpox, malaria, and cholera (Alchin). These diseases could have been prevented if Andrew Jackson had provided more supplies for the Cherokees. With better shelter and sanitation supplies, these 4,000 people would not have died. In fact, about 2,000 of the deaths were in these stockades (Alchin). Due to Andrew Jackson’s lack of supplies and inhumane act that caused suffering, it is clear that he is guilty of committing crimes against