The Trail of Tears marked a traumatic period for different tribes of Indians.  Some of the tribes that felt the anguish from this event were the Cherokee, the Chickasaw, the Seminole, the Creek, and the Choctaw.  What was the Trail of Tears, and why was it called this?
    When white men wanted to settle on the land east of the Mississippi, they wanted it to themselves and wanted the settled Indians to leave.  Since some of the Indians, in particular the Cherokee, did not want to give up their land to the selfish dominating white men and peoples of this time, the Indians were forced to leave.  They were escorted across the country into Oklahoma by the white men.  However, this was not a fun trip.  It was a time of sorrow and a time of loss for many Indians.  They were treated harshly along the trip, and many starved, were killed, and/or suffered from improper clothing in relation to the season.  Many cried, therefore, giving this trail and trip across country the name we know as the Trail of Tears.

The Trail of Tears is a site which gives links to other sites and topics related to the Trail of Tears and the Indian Removal Act.

About North Georgia-The Trail of Tears is a site that gives way to the move of the Indians.  It gives information as to how they were forced to move.  It is also a good reference to the legend of the Cherokee Rose, which is a symbol of the grieving experienced by the mothers and the people during the time of the move.  It also provides other links that provide information on certain topics.  For example, there is a site about the route taken for the move.

Burial on the Trail is a sight that gives insight into the five tribes known as the civilized tribes.  It talks about characteristics of each tribe.

Samuel's Story is a website about a boy and his tragic tale of living through the Trail of Tears.

Surviving the Trail  is a website that gives insight into the harsh conditions the Cherokee faced.

The Story of the Trail of Tears by R. Conrad Stein is a book and a good source of information regarding what the Trail of Tears was and who was involved in the event, such as the president of the United States at the time and the Indian tribes involved in the event.  It is a story about what happened.

Cherokees Past and Present is a book about the ways of the Cherokee.  It gives information about the Cherokee religion, clothing, government, legends and myths, etc.

    In an overall group project, in which some of you will be working in a group and some individually, you will create a more peaceful experience through a play that will lead to a peace agreement.  The task will be to create a Trail of Smiles instead of Tears.  You will rearrange what happened in this event to make it a more pleasant trip west and not one of loss and anguish.  Students will take on different roles to represent the different people involved in the Trail of Tears.  The students will perform their duty, and as a result peace will be made regarding what has happened.  Students will also carry out a research task to find out about their ancestry and if anyone they know was alive, took part in, or knew someone involved in the Trail of Tears.  The roles are as follows:

TASK 1:    The President (Andrew Jackson):
This person will be the head person in charge of the country.  Decisions regarding the move west will be your responsibility.

TASK 2:    Indian Tribes:
In groups of two per tribe, with a total of five tribes, you all are responsible for researching who the Cherokee and other four tribes were, what they did, and how they acted during this time.  A question to ask yourselves might be, "How did the Cherokee dress, and what were their feelings about being forced to move?".  Also, any clothing from home or costume decoration you can find will make the play more "alive."

TASK 3:    Soldiers:
You are the ones responsible for leading the Indians west.  How you do so will be viewed in the play.  Remember: research the Indian Removal Act, the move west, and how these men treated the Indians.  Your goal is to act upon in a peaceful manner as is the goal for this play.

TASK 4:    Historian/Reporter:
This person is responsible for making sure each person is doing his or her duty.  You are also to take on the task of documenting events and making a final report to the class in regards to this event.  The report or documentation will be done as a prelude to the play.

TASK 5:    Judge:
This person is responsible for actions taken during the journey.  What do you do if the Indians are being treated too harshly?  Also, you will be responsible for helping in research if needed.  You might want to be a source for information in which you will need to have done some research yourself.

1.    Research using the Internet and book sources provided to obtain information about the Trail of Tears.

2.  After information has been gathered, create a play that will serve as a more peaceful remembrance of the event instead of a traumatic memory.  You want to show others that peace can be obtained if we all work together.  The play should include the following:
 

• a brief summary about the Trail of Tears

• a brief history about the Indian tribes, such as clothing worn and type of foods eaten by each tribe

• a discussion about the Indian Removal Act (What was it, and how did it get started?  What were the conditions faced on the move, and how were they more peaceful as a result of our play where we created peace instead of pain?)

• a discussion about how long it took to make the move

• a discussion about whether or not the goal was met for this assignment and why you believe so