Constitutional Rights Foundation
Constitutional Rights Foundation: Indian Removal: The Cherokees, Jackson, and the "Trail of Tears"
Collaborative and consensus building activity on U.S. policy and treatment of Native Americans. Lesson provides an in-depth look at government Indian removal and provides a list from which students choose and defend a Native American...
US National Archives
Our Documents: President Andrew Jackson's Message, 'On Indian Removal'
Interactive image of the original document through which President Andrew Jackson called for "Indian Removal," in 1830. Includes transcription as well as background and overview of the text and results of the Indian Removal policy.
Other
Teach Us History: Indian Removal
A lesson plan unit that looks at the efforts of the Cherokee Nation in Georgia between 1817 and 1827 to establish their own system of governance and to keep their lands from being ceded. Even though the Supreme Court ultimately ruled in...
Lin and Don Donn
Mrdonn.org: Daily Life in Olden Times: Southeast Cherokee Indians
Lesson and resources on the history of the Cherokee Indian tribe.
Digital History
Digital History: Indian Removal
The Indian Removal policy was inhumane and without empathy for the Native Americans who were forced from their lands. Read about the attempts to enforce federal treaties and the final removal of three major tribes from the Southeast.
Digital History
Digital History: Explorations: Indian Removal
In this exploration, students will examine the federal policy toward American Indians, why President Jackson introduced the Indian Removal Policy, Native American resistance to removal, and the human meaning of removal.
PBS
Pbs the West: Cherokee Nation v. Georgia
The critically acclaimed PBS series, "The West," presents a copy of the order given by Chief Justice John Marshall when the bill to seize the Cherokee lands came to court.
Missouri State University
Delaware Town: Removal Era
Discussion of the removal of American Indians living east of the Mississippi River beginning in the late 1700s. Initially, these removals were voluntary, resulting from treaty negotiations. In 1830, Congress passed the Indian Removal...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Cherokee Nation: Virtual Field Trip
An in-depth look at the lives of the Cherokee Indians, from their first encounters with Europeans to events, such as the Gold Rush and the signing of the Indian Removal Act by Andrew Jackson, that led to their forced relocation to Indian...
Other
Cherokee Messenger: Brief History of the Trail of Tears
This website gives details about the events that led up to the displacement of the Cherokee Indians and the "Trail of Tears."
Other
Collector's Guide: Indian Territory: Phoenix Rising From the Trail of Tears
A discussion of the art forms preserved by the Native Americans who were resettled by the U.S. government in the Indian Territory.
PBS
Pbs: Indian Removal Andrew Jackson's Role
This site from PBS shows that Jackson was instrumental in the removal of the Cherokee population from Georgia and Florida. This site discusses his role in that policy. Links to related sites. Bibliography available at "Resource Bank" page.
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian: National Museum of the American Indian: The Removal Act
At first, the Trail of Tears only described the Cherokee removal of 1838. Later it included the removals of all southeastern Native nations. Take a close look at these primary sources from the Smithsonian which include a reproduction of...
Georgia Humanities Council and the University of Georgia Press.
New Georgia Encyclopedia: Cherokee Removal
Reveals the story behind the forced removal of the Cherokee Indians from Georgia to Indian Territory in present day Oklahoma.
Other
Eastern Band of Cherokee: History and Culture
A brief history of the Cherokee tribe in the southwest United States, its culture, government, and religion. Find out about the Cherokee who were subject to the Indian Removal Act of 1830, and see how the Cherokee in North Carolina have...
PBS
Pbs: Virtual Field Trip: Cherokee Nation
The Cherokee Nation virtual field trip affords an in-depth look at the lives of the Cherokee Indians, from their first encounters with Europeans to events, such as the Gold Rush and the signing of the Indian Removal Act by Andrew...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: The Trail of Tears: The Indian Removals
The Cherokee were not the only Native Americans affected by the Indian Removal Policy. Read about the Sac and Fox Indians in Illinois, and the Seminole in Florida. In addition, read about the many attempts, including a law suit filed by...
Digital History
Digital History: Georgia and the Cherokees [Pdf]
The Cherokee nation was one of the Five Civilized Tribes in the Southeast. Read about their achievements, the state of Georgia's attempts to annex their lands, and ultimately, President Andrew Jackson's Indian Removal Bill. [pdf]
University of California
History Project: The Removal of the Cherokee Nation
Lesson on U.S. white-Indian relations and domestic Removal Policy in which students read and analyze primary source material then, based on questions provided, write a narrative evaluating the events leading to the Trail of Tears.
Other
Tn Gen Web Project: Indian Land Cessions in the American Southeast
Detailed maps of Indian land cessions of the Indians in the Southeast.
University of Virginia
Miller Center at Uva: u.s. Presidents: Andrew Jackson: Domestic Affairs
A comprehensive overview of the domestic issues facing Andrew Jackson in his presidency, from the "spoils system" to veto of the bank recharter to his Indian removal policy.
Digital Public Library of America
Dpla: Cherokee Removal and the Trail of Tears
The sources in this primary set uses documents, images, and music to reveal the story of Cherokee removal, which is part of a larger story known as the Trail of Tears. Includes teaching guide.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Primary Source Set: Cherokee Removal and the Trail of Tears
This collection uses primary sources to explore Cherokee Removal and the Trail of Tears.
Curated OER
National Park Service: Trail of Tears and Forced Relocation of Cherokee
This Teaching With Historic Places unit, designed for young scholars in grades 5-12 is about the conflict between American settlers and the Cherokee Nation. Students will outline events leading up to the forced relocation of the Cherokee...