According to lore, even the ground was wet with tears. Such was the shameful legacy of the ‘Trail of Tears’ during which tens of thousands of native Americans were driven from their tribal lands. Perhaps it should be said the march was inspired by gold. As it usually did, the discovery of gold in this instance in Georgia always seemed to drive men mad. Between 1790 and 1830 the population of Georgia increased six-fold. The western push of the settlers created a problem, for Georgians continued to take Native American lands and force them onto the frontier.

The Cherokee Nation h...

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