Question

In 1838, the U.S. Army forced thousands of Cherokee people to march to the Indian Territory (in present-day Oklahoma) as part of the removal process. Which statement BEST explains why the route to the Indian Territory became known as the "Trail of Tears"?

A)
Many Cherokee died along the journey.


B)
Many battles took place during the journey.


C)
The Cherokee were forced to live on reservations.


D)
The Cherokee were no longer an independent nation.

Answer 1

A) Many Cherokee died along the journey.

Answer 2

The answer is A) many Cherokee died along the journey.

Why is the answer A)? Its because the route to the Indian Territory became known as the “Trail of Tears” because many Cherokee died along the journey—between 4,000 and 5,000 perished. Once they arrived in the Indian Territory, the Cherokees reestablished their leadership and continued to live as an independent nation.