• History -> History of the Americas

• 0 Comment

Can the Trail of Tears be considered an act of genocide?

Floretta McCrow

In my opinion, there is no doubt that the Trail of Tears can be considered an act of genocide. For those who are not familiar with this event, the Trail of Tears was the forced relocation of tens of thousands of Native Americans from their ancestral lands in the southeastern United States to Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) in the 1830s. This relocation was initiated by the US government, and it resulted in the deaths of thousands of Native Americans due to starvation, disease, and exposure.

First of all, it's worth noting that the concept of genocide didn't exist at the time of the Trail of Tears. The term was coined after World War II to describe the systematic extermination of Jewish people and other targeted groups under the Nazi regime in Germany. However, the definition of genocide has since been expanded to include any action aimed at destroying a particular group, in whole or in part, based on their ethnicity, religion, nationality, or other identifying characteristic.

Looking at the Trail of Tears through this lens, it's clear that it fits the criteria for genocide. The forced relocation of Native Americans was based on the belief that they were inferior and needed to be assimilated into white American culture. This attitude was reflected in government policies like the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which authorized the forced relocation of Native Americans from their ancestral lands to make way for white settlers.

The Trail of Tears was a deliberate and concerted effort to uproot Native Americans from their traditional way of life and force them to assimilate into a culture that was foreign to them. The relocation was carried out in a brutal and inhumane manner, with many Native Americans being forcibly removed from their homes and land, and forced to walk hundreds of miles to their new destination. Along the way, they faced hunger, disease, and exposure to the elements, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of people.

Furthermore, the Trail of Tears had long-lasting effects on the Native American population. The forced relocation disrupted their social and cultural practices, and many tribes lost their connection to their ancestral land. The trauma of this event has been passed down through generations, and it continues to impact Native American communities today.

In conclusion, the Trail of Tears can indeed be considered an act of genocide. The forced relocation of tens of thousands of Native Americans, and the resulting deaths and disruption of their way of life, was a deliberate attempt to destroy a particular group of people based on their ethnicity. While it may not have been recognized as such at the time, it fits the definition of genocide as we understand it today. It is important that we acknowledge this dark chapter in our history and work towards reconciliation with Native American communities.