Introduction
The Trail of Tears was traveled by the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Seminole Indians. Andrew Jackson, with the help of Congress, passed the Indian Removal Act of 1830. This required Native Americans to forfeit their land rights and be relocated to the Oklahoma Territory. The Cherokee referred to this route as the Trail of Tears, where around 4,000 of the 15,000 died along the way.
Task
You will be traveling along the Trail of Tears like the tribes of the Southeast did...only you will be doing it using the Internet. Complete a series of steps to take you along the trail and decide for yourselves, if you could have survived the Trail of Tears.
Process
Complete the following tasks to gain information about the Trail of Tears to help you decide if you could really survive.
- Task 1- Tribal Information
- The Trail of Tears was taken by five different tribes from the Southeast: Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Seminole.
- Select one of the five tribes to use while completing the Trail of Tears Worksheet
- Use the worksheet I give you to answer all of the questions
- Research Links
- Cherokees: http://www.bigorrin.org/cherokee_kids.htm
- Chickasaw: http://www.bigorrin.org/chickasaw_kids.htm
- Choctaw: http://www.bigorrin.org/choctaw_kids.htm
- Creek: http://www.bigorrin.org/creek_kids.htm
- Seminole: http://www.bigorrin.org/seminole_kids.htm
Task 2:
- To help you assume the role of a native, select a Native American Name for yourself. Try to pick one from the tribe you selected.
- Use the following link to find a name and information about it.
- https://www.babynameguide.com/categorynativeamerican.asp?strCat=Native-American
- Record your name on the worksheet
Task 3: Indian Removal Act
- Research and answer the questions about this important piece of legislation
- Use the following link to help you answer the worksheet questions.
- http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2959.html
Task 4: Life on the Trail
- Research what it would have been like to travel along the trail. Use the following links about different topics to answer the worksheet questions
- http://trailoftearsgroup.weebly.com/life-on-the-trail.html
- land vs water route https://www.univie.ac.at/Anglistik/webprojects/LiveMiss/TrailofTears/trailparent.htm
- Sam Cloud - Survivor Account: http://www.cherokeebyblood.com/Cherokee_by_blood/Trail_of_Tears.html
Task 5:
- Task 5- Could You Survive?
- Write a paragraph answering that question on a sheet of your own paper.
- This should be on your own (if you are working with a partner)
- Think realistically about this...don't think you are tougher than you really are and it isn't as easy as you might think!
- What makes you think you could survive or what makes you think you couldn't?
- Your paragraph should be no less than 5 sentences.
- The paragraph is worth 5 points.
Evaluation
When you finish the worksheet make sure your name is on it & turn it in to me.