Why is the journey of the Cherokees called the Trail of Tears?

Answer 1

The trail is called "Trail of Tears" because during the move of the Cherokee Tribe many people died along the way and many people were in tears.

Answer 2

It is said that those who witnessed the Native American prisoners forcibly relocated at gunpoint were saddened by what they saw. They did nothing to intervene; but, according to legend - they cried.

Since thousands died and neglect of prisoner injury and illness was present in this dishonorable action of the US Army, it most certainly meets the definition of a DEATH MARCH. We could call it the "Oklahoma Death March". But that is not accurate because Oklahoma didn't exist at that time. We could call it the "US Army Death March" but people might confuse it with the more well known Bataan Death March (isn't it funny how it's different when those dirty, rotten foreigners do it to us). How about "North Carolina White Trash and Rednecks After Gold Death March? No, too wordy - it'll never catch on. Same with "Five Civilized Tribes Death March". It has to be short and simple for the idiots to remember it, maybe something that rhymes. "Andrew Jackson's Death March" is pretty accurate, but that doesn't rhyme. I'm out of ideas, maybe somebody else will weigh in.

Answer 3

The Cherokee people called the journey the "Trail of Tears," because of its devastating effects. The migrants faced hunger, disease, and exhaustion on the forced march. Over 4,000 out of 15,000 of the Cherokees died.

Answer 4

The Native Americans called this the "Trail where they weeped / cried" because of their treatment; before, during and after the event.

Many Native Americans were murdered, and far more died from lack of food and clothing along the trails.

Answer 5

You can look this up further to get a more detailed answer,but basically it was called that because so many Native Americans died.

Answer 6

Because so many people died from hardships on the journey

Answer 7

Thousands of Cherokees died while walking to Oklahoma.

Answer 8

The trail is called "Trail of Tears" because during the move of the Cherokee Tribe many people died along the way and many people were in tears.