Trail of Tears: Consequences for the Cherokee Nation
This paper examines the Trail of Tears and its major consequences for the Cherokee Nation. Beginning with an overview of Cherokee sovereignty and identity, the paper traces the forced removal of approximately 4,000 Cherokee people by the U.S. Army in 1838 under the Treaty of New Echota. It analyzes three primary consequences: the struggle to preserve Cherokee culture against encroaching white settlement, the devastating loss of life caused by disease and starvation during removal, and the challenge of rebuilding an entirely new way of life in an unfamiliar western environment. Drawing on Robert J. Conley's novel and historical scholarship, the paper illustrates both the human and cultural toll of this forced displacement.
- The Cherokee Nation and Its History: Overview of Cherokee sovereignty and Trail of Tears context
- Cultural Struggle in the Wake of Removal: Threat to Cherokee culture from white settlement
- Loss of Life and the Human Tragedy: Mass deaths caused by displacement, disease, and starvation
- Forced Resettlement and Rebuilding Life Anew: Cherokees rebuilding life in unfamiliar western territory
- Conclusion: Summary of Trail of Tears' lasting consequences
✍️ How to write this paper — guide, tools & examples ▾
What makes this paper effective
- The paper grounds its analysis in both primary literary evidence (Conley's Mountain Windsong) and historical scholarship, giving the argument both human and factual weight.
- Each consequence is introduced with a clear topic sentence and supported by a specific quotation or cited source, demonstrating disciplined paragraph structure.
- The paper maintains a consistent thematic focus — cultural, demographic, and geographic consequences — that keeps the argument organized and easy to follow.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates the use of literary sources as historical evidence. Quotes from Conley's novel are deployed not as fictional illustration but as culturally grounded testimony, showing how literature can corroborate and humanize historical claims about displacement and loss.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with background on the Cherokee Nation and a definition of the Trail of Tears. It then moves through three body paragraphs, each addressing a distinct consequence: cultural erosion under white demographic pressure, mass death through disease and displacement, and the forced reconstruction of Cherokee life in the West. A brief bibliography closes the paper. The structure is straightforward and well-suited to the argumentative scope.
The Cherokee Nation and Its History
The Cherokee Nation is the federally recognized government of the Cherokee people in the United States. Throughout its history, the Cherokee Nation has remained committed to safeguarding its people's intrinsic sovereignty while promoting and preserving Cherokee language, culture, and values. The Nation is also increasingly committed to enhancing the quality of life for subsequent generations of Cherokee citizens. However, the Cherokee Nation has experienced tremendous challenges throughout its history that have generated considerable impacts on its people.
One of the most significant events in Cherokee history is the Trail of Tears. The Trail of Tears refers to the forced march of the Cherokee people directed by the United States Army during the removal of American Indian tribes from their ancestral homelands. Specifically, it describes the forcible removal of the Cherokees in 1838 to the western United States, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 4,000 Cherokees as part of the implementation of the Treaty of New Echota.
Cultural Struggle in the Wake of Removal
One of the specific consequences of the Trail of Tears for the Cherokee Nation was that Cherokees faced enormous struggles to maintain their culture and way of life. These struggles were largely driven by the growing white population, whose different cultures and lifestyles posed a significant threat not only to the Cherokee people's numbers but also to their cultural identity. This tension is captured in the old man's statement from Robert J. Conley's novel: "I see Cherokees turning into whites … I see white man's clothes, white man's weapons, white man's animals."1 Cherokees had to struggle to maintain their balance — to remain Cherokee while resisting the pressure to adopt the culture and lifestyle of white settlers.
Loss of Life and the Human Tragedy
The Trail of Tears also affected the Cherokee Nation through the deaths of a significant portion of its people. As noted above, the removal resulted in approximately 4,000 deaths, representing a devastating loss of life. The Trail of Tears became a tragedy for thousands of Cherokees who were forced to leave behind places, livestock, homes, and crops that held deep spiritual meaning and value.2 For the Cherokee people, the Trail of Tears represented a massive population shift and displacement that in turn increased exposure to disease and starvation, both of which proved fatal. The weight of this foreknowledge is reflected in Conley's novel, where Grandpa acknowledges the dire predictions surrounding the removal: "They knew, these speechmakers said, that some individuals would call them traitors and would want them killed."3
Conclusion
The Trail of Tears stands as one of the most devastating episodes in Cherokee history, carrying consequences that reshaped every dimension of Cherokee life. From the erosion of cultural identity under the pressure of white settlement, to the loss of thousands of lives through disease and starvation, to the immense challenge of rebuilding an entire way of life in a foreign land, the consequences of forced removal were profound and far-reaching. Understanding these consequences remains essential for appreciating the resilience of the Cherokee Nation and the enduring significance of this chapter in Native American history.
Notes
1 Robert J. Conley, Mountain Windsong: A Novel of the Trail of Tears (Oklahoma City, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1992), 36.
2 Clara Sue Kidwell, "The Effects of Removal on American Indian Tribes," National Humanities Center, accessed October 27, 2015, http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/nattrans/ntecoindian/essays/indianremoval.htm.
3 Conley, Mountain Windsong, 32.
Bibliography
Conley, Robert J. Mountain Windsong: A Novel of the Trail of Tears. Oklahoma City, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1992.
Kidwell, Clara Sue. "The Effects of Removal on American Indian Tribes." National Humanities Center. Accessed October 27, 2015. http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/nattrans/ntecoindian/essays/indianremoval.htm.
Create your account
Always verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.