The Indian Removal Act

The Indian Removal Act, enacted in 1830, was a law passed by the U.S. Congress that authorized the government to relocate Native American tribes living east of the Mississippi River to lands west of the river, primarily in present-day Oklahoma. The goal was to open up land for white settlers and economic development. This law led to forced relocations, most notably the Cherokee Trail of Tears, where thousands of Native Americans suffered from disease, starvation, and death during the brutal journey. The act is widely viewed as a unjust and devastating chapter in U.S. history for Native communities.