What Life On the Trail of Tears Was Like

The Trail of Tears, the forced migration of Choctaw, Creek, Chickasaw, Cherokee, Seminole tribe members, and many others, from their ancestral lands in the US Southeast to allowed territory in Oklahoma, resulted in the deaths of over 4,000 Native Americans along the way. What was everyday life on the Trail of Tears like? Thanks to many surviving first-hand accounts of the Trail, we have records of the harsh, brutal realities of daily life during over 1,000 miles of hard traveling.
#TrailOfTears #USHistory #WeirdHistory

[@jennyprong2853]

I'd like to see you do a series about the Native American tribes. What life was like for each group. What were their similarities and differences,customs, etc...

[@morganschiller2288]

For EACH group? Each region would be better. There isn’t going to be much of a difference between the Chickasaw and Cherokee. Now the Navajo and Tlingit yeah that’d be cool

[@fonzy2x461]

I agree with you. I want to know more about them as well.

[@scottwebb4722]

Watch the series 500 Nations, quite old though its from the early 90’s.

[@sadem1045]

They wouldn't be able to hit every tribe but they could certainly do some well-known and lesser known tribes.

[@liamchefstone87]

That's a lot of episodes 😳 would be awesome tho

[@chitramoontarot]

I can’t even imagine being told I have to leave my home against my will. Terrible

[@alicerivierre]

A very shitty act of Andrew Jackson - not his best strategy...

[@jonsmith848]

Ask a Palestinian

[@DrumWild]

But "god" told them to do it, so it's cool. American Christianity is nothing more than post-hoc justification for all of the horrors they have in store for Humanity.

[@therealnmg]

They lost the war though, human history is written that way.

[@trevormichael4906]

@@jonsmith848 beat me to it. All because of “sacred land” 🙄 its so disgusting what’s happening in the desert. And damn all those who are trying to justify it. Damn them straight to hell.

[@amethyst5538]

My family somehow avoided this, and took great pains for the next few generations to keep their indengenious blood secret. It wasn't until my generation, and I am only 41, that they would start talking about it. What happened and the fear that transpired afterwards was absolutely horrible. I am reading all these comments about how people didn't know about this, honestly is incomprehensible. Maybe it was where I was raised, but I remember this being extensively covered in school and the wrongness of it. Even the knowledge that the indigenous people retained slaves. I grew up in the central Georgia area.

[@amethyst5538]

@@KAT-dg6el They lied about their heritage. It was either that or they would have lost their homes. Others hid deep within the local swamps so that they couldn't be caught and than made their way down into Florida so that they could join family down there in Butler. There are other family stories but those are really grim and stomach churning secrets. Those came out when my great grandmother started developing dementia, and yes some were poor but the other side was fairly upper middle class and they claimed to be German Italian mix. DNA testing blew that lie up.

[@deborahchapman222]

What tribe were they from? My I am the product of 2 tribes? The Cherokee and the Shawnee. My family looks indigenous. My dad’s generation and my generation have never had to cover it up. I think my grandfather’s might have. My family escaped to Southern Indiana to escape the March. Being indigenous here has never been a problem. Sorry, that it was so bad for you and your family. Prejudice is horrible thing!

[@amethyst5538]

@@deborahchapman222 Lower Cherokee and Creek. That is honestly the limit of what information we have been able to gather together. I have been tempted to try to piece together a more thorough family tree, but because of their choices I am not comfortable delving in too much, not after finding out a few things that I have. They were at least to outside the family kind and generous, and my granny's father was at least well tolerated despite personal faults and deplorable decisions, because of what he had experienced. A lot of fear and PTSD. Both understandable but I am very conflicted with his character and maybe that's why his siblings left to go further south and not live as he chose to. He let fear rule his life and he found solace where he shouldn't have. Partially circumstances, in my personal feelings and opinion, entirely by his own decisions. Where as my great, great grandmother, who we called Big Mama, did what she could to move on losing many family members some that she never found again. That was the thing she would cry about and it made me sad as a little girl.

[@SalM1]

They covered it in history here in Houston Texas!

[@deborahchapman222]

@@amethyst5538 it sounds like a sad situation for your family. You can try but it is hard to get information about indigent people heritage using the DNA kits. Even people living on reservations cannot prove their ancestry using those kits.

[@millcreekrange]

Every time I think about this atrocity it makes my blood boil. And to think, our government hasn’t really changed much from back then either.

[@BeerDad69]

I love hearing about it Fuck them, they lost. HIT THE BRICKS, CHIEF!

[@alicerivierre]

I know, it's kind of hard to hear about these things. The Trail of Tears was downright cruel & shame, & it only got worse from there, what with white settlers taking more land & committing genocide. If only things were different...

[@BeerDad69]

@@alicerivierre Dude, would you rather not have this country that our forefathers fought and died for? How about you show some sensitivity to them!

[@ChristophersMum]

Every ruling power has done the same...your government is no different...the same happened to my kin in the Scottish Clearances...There are still traces of abandoned villages left.

[@alicerivierre]

@@BeerDad69 stop bullying me! I blocked you, so you shouldn't even talk to me! I'll have you know that while I'm a proud American, my heart goes out for the Indigenous People. You have no right to talk trash to me or to other people! I'm going to report you for harassment!

[@dylansamv7827]

Half native here, inrolled into the Mvskoke creek tribe, sad to know this happened to my great great Great grandparents

[@lesbw356]

I’m so sorry for your family. I think we as white people …have so much to learn from our native people. They are a proud and beautiful people..

[@gjd424]

I didn’t know Native American Indians had slaves until this episode.

[@alicerivierre]

@@gjd424 what?!

[@justaguy214]

Shouldn't have went back on trade agreements with settlers in favor of war because a bunch of savages and scalpers didn't want peace. You think Jackson just woke up one day and was like, "enslaved all the natives for absolutely nothing!" If you're going to learn about history, learn all of it and not just what fuels your hatred toward an entire race 🖕

[@ScottyBennitone]

n the Cherokee nation's own files, now on deposit in the Gilcrease Institute in Tulsa, the number of Indians departing the East in 13 main parties is recorded at 12,623, the arrivals West at 12,783. Some stragglers joined on the way. American military counts are almost the same. The Cherokees were being paid per Indian moved.

[@ymizun]

Hi. I'm from Japan. I'm learning American history, having found this video by chance. This is so informative and makes understand "Trail of tears" intelligibly ! I didn't expect the condition of the trek was so harsh and brutal. Also, Indians walked barefoot. I feel sorrowful.... The historical site should be stored. I'd like to keep studying and hopefully go there someday.

[@jeffduvall737]

similar to the anu in northern japan ???

[@Yourfriendlysuburbanstoner]

As an American, I wish you the best of luck 😌

[@ymizun]

@@jeffduvall737 u mean Ainu ?

[@stella-vu8vh]

Thank you for learning! Much love to you and yours.

[@Nogu3]

Human history is unfortunately perpetuated with crimes like these, and I can't think of any country really exempt of it. From native Americans on the trail of tears, to Cossacks during the red terror, Palestinians in the modern day, Zanichi Koreans during the great kanto earthquakes and occupational era, to Hawaiians during the annexation and Japanese American nisei during the second world war. What's left is for us to do better.

[@AdzaanMaiiTso]

This is really cool to see a channel talk about. You should do The Long Walk of the Navajo. It was very similar to what happened to the Chereokee. My family avoided the Long Walk by hiding in the mountains but a lot of people were taken. My grandfather, in fact, remembered an old man who was born while the Navajos were in captivity. People like to think it's old history but it's not. It's extremely recent.

[@frankfrizell2076]

A’ho

[@shawnahmoore4540]

The devil andrew jackson(doesn't need to be capitalized) needs to be taken off the 20 dollar bill and replace it with Harriet Tuban.

[@brittanyhayes1043]

@@shawnahmoore4540 I don't agree to how Andrew Jackson did the Trail of Tears or how America treated Native Americans in general, but no. Not taking him off the $20 bill.

[@theshowman1000]

@@shawnahmoore4540 The reason he's on the 20$ bill he tried to kill the federal reserve bank and succeeded so they put him there as a revenge and punishment.

[@Romonedu]

This wasn’t extremely recent this was over 200 years ago lmao

[@Sir_Carnage]

My Grandmother was part of the Keetoowah Tribe in Oklahoma and, apparently, some part of my ancestry comes from them making the trek of the Trail of Tears.

[@BeerDad69]

Lol right, her and Elizabeth warren too! Dummy

[@tonshmar]

Did they own slaves too?

[@chandlerhembree9607]

I'm

[@TwoMenInACloset]

@@BeerDad69 I think your just mad bc your life sucks?

[@proudwhiteman6792]

your people where savages ....they ate human flesh.

[@alyssao1127]

My great great grandma was apart of the Choctaw and was on trail of tears. She was sexually assaulted by a man in the military and became pregnant with my great grandmas brother. It’s is a true tragedy how people were treated on the trail of tears and i think it is even worse that the majority of schools don’t explain how bad the trail of tears really was

[@tylerjeb7888]

Yeah, well when Native Americans go around on the regular, slaughtering neighboring tribes down to the last woman and child, a strenuous hike kinda doesn't make the highlight reel.

[@scootysweets]

@@tylerjeb7888 what the fuck are you talking about

[@ii9nn391]

@@tylerjeb7888 like there weren’t any horrible tragedies in europe…

[@SJ-vy5ji]

@@ii9nn391 we talk about what the whites did tho, it’s shoved down your throat but anything to do with indigenous peoples owning slaves is hush hush cause their supposed to be the victims in the narrative so they couldn’t have done anything bad 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@Windds]

@@tylerjeb7888 that’s there culture they fought over land and resources to survive they would fight till everyone’s dead so they didn’t have to deal with a retaliation. Those are there wars. they lived in a different world than the white man did.

[@12345woodstock]

A series on the "5 civilized tribes" explaining the history behind each tribe and when they signed a contract with the U.S. government and what happened to them after signing. Also maybe an episode on the tribes that refused to sign a treaty.

[@ChristophersMum]

I had heard how the native tribes had been forcibly removed from their lands...however I am shocked at how cruel this turned out to be...but not in the least surprised...every government has done the same...the same happened to my kin in Scotland with the Clearances...there are still traces of abandoned villages in the hills.

[@Anaris10]

Yes, as I am Cherokee and Scottish, I've read about the Clearances and was happy to see my MacLeod family took great pains to keep their people home and safe on the Isle of Skye.

[@Rule-be6lw]

Every country has its dark past that was just the way the world worked back then.

[@wesswess9196]

@@Rule-be6lw bro kill that bs and reparate people

[@slipstreamxr3763]

@@Anaris10 Same here except on the Irish side of my family. We had the Potato Famine and oddly enough the Choctaw actually sent us food, but the British promptly confiscated it in order to allow the genocide to continue.

[@pinaspeziale2439]

Poor people!!! The Bible says: “The whole world is under the influence of the evil one !” 1 John 5: 19

[@24framedavinci39]

I remember learning about this 30 years ago when I was in primary school. I remember my teacher talking about how much our great country has improved and evolved and how we should learn from the past mistakes of our ancestors. I think what's sadder is teachers that actually want to teach instead of preach are becoming few and far between.

[@alicerivierre]

I'm telling ya, some of the stuff I learned in history (like Columbus being a "hero", "proved that the Earth was round", "discovered America", & was "peachy & friendly w. the Natives" & all that dumb shit) is all whitewashed bullshit. It's there to make white people look better in history than everybody else. This is a downright shame! I wonder if history class in school improved since I left.

[@plawson8577]

@@alicerivierre Correct. Columbus was a War Criminal.

[@alicerivierre]

@@plawson8577 and to think I believed he "discovered" America in elementary school.

[@davidmartinez52420]

@@alicerivierre Columbus discovering America was taught from the western European perspective, not that he discovered it outright as if no one was already here. As far as the western Europeans were concerned, they knew nothing of this land. It's like if you go into this restaurant you never heard of before and liked the food, you'll tell all your friends about it and how you discovered it. It's a matter of perspective.

[@alicerivierre]

@@davidmartinez52420 right, to the Europeans perspective, it was a discovery; to Native Americans & those who know of the truth of his evil deeds, it's otherwise an invasion & genocide. I just think the Western European perspective can be skewed when it comes to Columbus

[@NashvilleDrumCoach]

Growing up in Oklahoma around Natives my whole life, it blows my mind living in Tennessee seeing how revered Andrew Jackson is out here. He was a piece of garbage. Where I’m from, his name is hated. Here he is honored

[@gc4644]

Andrew Jackson is one of the biggest disgraces of a potus. I've heard some reservations refuse to even accept a $20 bill..

[@Susieq26754]

Jackson and Jefferson won't be welcome in God's Kingdom.

[@MonkeyBidness359]

Jackson is the president Trump looked to as his presidential example. There are a remarkable number of similarities between them and I despise them both!

[@IsaPodrasky]

Seriously, Harriet Tubman should be on the $20, and Andrew Jackson should be downgraded to being on the back…making him an ass because he was one!

[@thanhhoangnguyen4754]

@@IsaPodrasky I still can't believe Jackson would make a document of Indian remove act. There are those Indian who fought with him in the battle of New Orleans and those even fought Tecumseh federation. Yet Jackson do this?

[@swweets]

In case anyone wants to learn more, Bailey Sarian has at least one really good video explaining what an actual demon Andrew Jackson was

[@plawson8577]

Tell me about it. I’m Black/Native American. My Grandmother was Half Cherokee, and my Father’s Parents were Creole Chickasaw. My Mom(Who’s Grandfather was Cherokee)and I watched a Documentary on it. I had never seen her crying and Angry at the same time. I Resent to this Day that AJ is on the $20 bill.

[@dawnhopkins3085]

love her!

[@swweets]

@@plawson8577 you have a beautiful heritage!! The atrocities committed on the trail of tears is akin to genocide and it’s sick that anyone who helped mastermind it is still on a pedestal. I hope your family members found some healing.

[@swweets]

@@dawnhopkins3085 I love her too! She’s so fun and shares so much knowledge. Great channel

[@dawnhopkins3085]

@@swweets yes ! and her make up is fabulous ( I don't wear make up , my daughter does , she is the 1 who introduced me)...glad you're trying to post her channel... she deserves it... never met any1 as funny as her

[@thegeneralofsound]

I am from Canada and we had these “schools” for native children and even today they are uncovering mass graves full of children. Such a travesty

[@sueme1954]

In the name of christianity abominations were commited all through history.

[@Anaris10]

@@sueme1954 Much like Islam!.

[@sessayu2502]

No mass graves have been found in Canada. Just poorly maintained cemeteries.

[@thegeneralofsound]

@@sessayu2502 285 children's bodies found in BC that's a mass grave

[@sueme1954]

@@Anaris10 true.

[@candiceyoung8244]

This is so sad,knowing my ancestors went through such horrific times. Its awful. Thank you

[@thomaslanguell7257]

Me too.

[@janaef3222]

I feel even worse for my black ancestors after watching this

[@candiceyoung8244]

@@janaef3222 yes,I can imagine. God bless them

[@scottwebb4722]

@@janaef3222 oh no, incoming play the victim card!

[@colorad6018]

@@janaef3222 haha haha

[@NotMyWar]

I’m from just south of Indianapolis and when I was a boy in the early 90’s there was an old man that lived alone in this creepy mansion outside of the town I grew up in. He told my brother and I that his father bought the land from the Lenape, and that a community of them lived there well into the 1900’s.

[@nicolasbaker9601]

Learned about this as a child. This was my introduction to the horrors that humankind is capable of inflicting on one another.

[@ruipacheco2939]

There are so many wrongs in this true unfortunate story, that I don't even know where to begin with...

[@BeerDad69]

Have you thought about giving your home and your belongings back to them?

[@alicerivierre]

@@BeerDad69 dude, seriously, show some sensitivity!

[@BeerDad69]

@@alicerivierre You don’t think that’s fair? I bet you’re a white colonizer as well! Either give back to the tribes or shut up, Alice!

[@alicerivierre]

@@BeerDad69 um, excuse me, you don't talk to me like that! That's bullying! I'm going to report you for bullying!

[@BeerDad69]

@@alicerivierre HAHAHAHAHAHAHA HOLY SHIT PLEASE DONT ALICE! I’m part Indian

[@Strick-IX]

I appreciate your coverage of the plight of Native Americans AND African Americans on the Trail of Tears; slavery was, of course, still rampant in these regions at the time, and many tend to neglect the fact that Native American communities were no exception. This is not to besmirch or belittle the struggles of either group, but I feel it is salient to the nuanced ethnic relations of the period - increasingly relevant as we analyze and consider their implications in modernity.

[@kyliepechler]

I never even knew that Native Americans owned slaves. That just blows my mind. I've read a lot of history books (always loved history), but I have never come across that in print yet.

[@numerum_bestia]

@@kyliepechler I don’t think there is a race on earth that hasn’t practiced slavery at one point or another.

[@thewhitedoncheadle8345]

@@kyliepechler thats because you are clueless and basically listen to what you are told. slavery was carried out by every group throughout history. your comment proves your utter ignorance and you probably only believe africans were involved

[@terrainegrace17]

@@kyliepechler I feel like schools largely withhold a lot of information. They teach about whites owning slaves in America all the time but don’t talk about how Natives also enslaved blacks, their own people too. Or about how blacks kept white people as slaves in other countries. I went to a lot of different schools, world history was taught quite often and you hear about the ancient Roman’s and the world wars, medieval Europe/England and all that. The majority of history that you’re being taught in schools is “white people bad” when there is so much more in history that we don’t know about. Every country has had slaves, modern day slavery still exists today and it’s all POC countries. That’s not being taught in schools, or being brought up.

[@terrainegrace17]

@@thewhitedoncheadle8345 hey chill out, it’s most likely not their fault that they don’t know. It’s the school system that withholds this information, it’s not that people are ignorant or anything they just don’t know because they don’t get that information without looking into it themselves.

[@brianyoung3116]

It never fails to make my heart ache every time I see something about the Trail of Tears. Even as a small kid hearing the watered-down version of the event in history class, I was always shaken by the extreme savagery of the American settlers. Having read lots of things about the Trail of Tears, I must admit it does feel good knowing that there are organizations like Weird History telling the details of the event as they occurred. Thank you guys for telling the truth and not sugar-coating it as school teachers tend to do.

[@Jamessmith-xk3fh]

I feel sorry for these people and how Americans treated different people that were not white but I also thought when I was watching the video was which side would I have taken if I was alive during this or in the 1900s during segregation. As growing up in the 90s up until now I would hate the things we did to non white people but it might be different being born in those times

[@mjs6157]

If the natives weren't dressed properly for the conditions on the force March imagine what their slaves endured.

[@mime514]

I’m from Europe and I wasn’t educated about this topic… this is atrocious and it pains me to see cultures erased and people suffering, even dying, because of the need some men have for power. I’m so sorry for what the Native people and the African American people had to go through… and it’s even saddening that we are not taught about this

[@guitarvikings]

My ancestors were strong enough to survive this. I can’t even get out of bed 🤦‍♂️

[@zarz3049]

damn mine were in germany and canada

[@cullisgate]

I appreciate how respectful your videos on such heartbreaking topics are.

[@adilsongoliveira]

As a Brazilian I wasn't aware of that part of USA history. What a sad moment.

[@Awakeningspirit20]

I'm interested in Brazil's indigenous history, it seems like everyone outside the Amazon died off and no information exists about who they even were, yet in parts of Brazil there are uncontacted tribes.

[@pistolpayne]

You have no idea brother. This is the most evil county in the world.

[@adilsongoliveira]

@@Awakeningspirit20 Not really, there are indigenous tribes throughout the country. They are just not "news" so to speak.

[@broflo3875]

@@pistolpayne Yet I bet you won't live anywhere else.

[@captainamerica6525]

I had no idea that those tribes kept slaves let alone took them on that trail. A double tragedy.

[@Anaris10]

Are you aware of the law back then?. Runaway slaves could be apprehended by the Slavecatchers and returned to their White masters if the tribe didn't take them in. They had to be labeled as Slaves on Tribal registrys or they went back to hell. Some tribes made them family, some did not.

[@nickim6571]

I'm 61, grew up in Missouri and I don't remember ever learning about this in school. I have since read a great deal about it myself. Just another reason why history shouldn't be whitewashed to make some people feel more comfortable.

[@bobbybeeman7280]

I live in California they never taught this in school either but I learned it bit by bit over a life time. Even in the 1930's and 40's the white man because he was poor was driven from Oklahoma and Arkansas. They could not get welfare nor government help at all. They moved to California, it took some of them month's to get here . My 10 year old mother had to help my grandma have a baby on the side of the road for the white trash Dr,s would not help them. Hey and my grandpa was white but grandma Black foot. Once into California they lived in a big tent for several years I recall that tent for while we were what they called (Fruit Tramps) that is we followed the fruit like all other migrants. Many back then starved to death . This was during what they call the Dustbowl days and some years there after. Man has always been evil to others even my Cherokee forefathers supposedly had slaves that were driven with my forefathers on the trail of tears. All man fight and devour one another none are righteous, no not one is pure.

[@nyxspiritsong5557]

What a great video. My kids dad is part native and we try to teach our kids as much about their heritage as possible. He and I know from our public school days that this event gets glossed over or ignored entirely. 🙁

[@polskieniedzwiedz6936]

I was just about to finish the book trail of tears rise and fall of the Cherokee nation by John Ehle

[@blackbartthepoet3820]

How is it? I’m looking for some good books to read

[@polskieniedzwiedz6936]

@@blackbartthepoet3820 it is WONDERFUL I highly you check it out

[@tommyb.justis6274]

my God there are no words 😢

[@rd8370]

There will be plenty when these descendants of scriptural Job are restored.

[@CrimsonKisses1313]

I would like to see your take on Wounded Knee! Thank you for bringing this information to attention, it is a gap in the everyday education that deserves to be heard.

[@CrimsonKisses1313]

@@David-ki2dl I'm Lakota, so the history is very dear to me haha. It's a black mark on history that def deserves being talked about.

[@nissaforyou]

I read that book, and I was shaking by the end.

[@Eric-qk3bk]

My great grandmother was born on The Trail of Tears. My grandmother, Flo Lahoma Hall, being born and raised in Oklahoma. Her skin, and my father's skin was actually red. My brothers skin is really dark.

[@AARSTILLWATERhomeys]

Are you an enrolled member of the CN?

[@pamelamays4186]

I learned that African American slaves also made this journey. Suggestion: What was life like for children living on a plantation?

[@spicec0rp]

Thank you for being the Tour Guide on this journey down the Trail of Tears

[@Aeyekay0]

the trail of tears I also reminds me of how similar it is to the Armenian genocide death march to the desert, absolutely brutal. And The fact that many people are commenting that they’ve never heard of this part of history is alarming

[@Coryraisa]

So true!!! It's also similar to the European holocaust of the 1930s and 1940s.

[@badsport504]

I discovered this channel 2 weeks ago. I am Hooked.

[@alicerivierre]

I know, awesome channel, right? I love my history!

[@snakeeyes4209]

I live very close to Jonesboro, Illinois, this is where Trail of Tears came through. 😢

[@saintgreen8682]

In georgia the rendezvous point for removing the Cherokee to Chattanooga was a town called new echota. Also the birthplace of Sequoia. I live in Cherokee county Georgia, named for the removed tribe. This story runs deep in my blood. My grandmother was as red skinned as it gets and always told that when her ancestors were removed they broke away at some point and came back. Taking the name Strickland to help blend in along the way back. They managed to make it into the smoky mountains and stayed there until after the civil war when they returned to Georgia. I couldn't be more proud of those roots and to have that story as part of my family history

[@ilovephotography1254]

Thank You for this presentation. It's painful to watch, but important to share history as it happened. There are those who now want to legislate against the teaching of our true history. They fear the truths of our nations dark past and now wish to whitewash it out of public schools and books. I feel fortunate to be born an American, however I feel that it is of great importance for all to know the all the truths of are nations past. This includes the good as well as the dark sides, in order to form a more perfect nation.

[@Anaris10]

Teach it ALL, but keep the HATEFUL CRT out of schools.

[@Jay_Hall]

I love, CRT teaches hate, if you want a race war or a genocide,,keep it up.

[@ilovephotography1254]

@@Anaris10 Nobody should feel guilty for the sins of their fathers. Nobody should be fearful of the truth.

[@ilovephotography1254]

@@Jay_Hall Based upon that comment it appears that you wish to whitewash over history. I don't how knowing the dark side of our history would lead to a race war or a genocide. Nobody should feel guilty for the sins of their fathers. Nobody should be fearful of the truth.

[@Jay_Hall]

@@ilovephotography1254 CRT teaches racism and hate, trash that! As to history that is true such as the trail of tears and atrocities carried out by Native Americans to Europeans and one another and the Nate Turner terror, put that in the history books too. But never think the USA of today does not have equal protection under the law and equal opportunity under the law, and this is what we will fight to preserve no matter how much the present administration wants to ignore that. :)

[@The7Reaper]

One of the few videos you've made where I knew every detail thanks in part to being from North Carolina and having some Cherokee ancestors

[@Daylon91]

You should do an episode on "The Indian Wars" longest war in US history; 350 years 1540-1890. Lots changed about the view of us from "screeching devils" to "noble savages" another idea is the worst defeat in American history (96% battle casualties) "Battle of the Wabash" or "battle of the thousand slain"

[@JD-mv8tl]

I really love your channel one of the best if not the best on KZbin. Thank you for what you do!!!!!

[@Turtlemaster-bc7fq]

This really helped me learn a lot about the Trail of Tears. Thanks!

[@garymarcera7452]

Thanks for shedding light on this tragic, but little known chapter in USA history. I've always been interested in native Americans and their history, so this video gets a 10 out of 10 in my opinion! What was really intriguing were the other native American groups forced out of their ancestral homes, not just the five so called civilized tribes. Didn't know about that, so thanks again.

[@davesmith7432]

This is disgusting and shameful! But its history and it needs to be told. So it may never happen again. I wonder how things would’ve turned out if we had respected and embraced the Native Americans. This country will be much better off I think.

[@alicerivierre]

That's what I said - that was Jackson's dick move.

[@JohnGalt916]

🤣🤣🤣🤣 99% of human history is land conquest and slavery. There's hundreds of thousands of years of war on north America. Yall act like these tribes were all friends smoking pipes until Columbus. Tribes were trying to get land back. How do you take back what wasn't already taken? You think native tribe A helped the French wipe out native tribe B because there wasn't generations of hatred and trying to get resources? If anything Jackson just United the tribes with a single person to hate. Morality has nothing to do with it. To this day we turn a blind eye to atrocities for resources. From the current genocide in China, to ignoring the literal slave trade in Lybia.

[@alicerivierre]

@@JohnGalt916 of course, no one's got a clean slate in history. Native Americans thirsted conquest & war the same as Europeans, Africans & Asians. It's a human thing.

[@VTnumb]

Treating the native American's as a peaceful unified people doesn't do service to actual nuances of history. They had tribal wars, fought with and against Europeans, and fought for the confederacy against the United States. Many tribes enslaved people too.

[@davesmith7432]

@@VTnumb you can rationalize it all you want. it doesn’t matter. It’s not OK to commit atrocities.

[@fluffyg3137]

Im AA and my great grandmother was part Simenole. We were always told the slaves would escape and find refugee with the natives but rhe older I get the more I find that they too probably became the slaves of the natives. History is rarely kind to anyone.

[@impyrobot]

Mankind are just as cruel to one another's as they have always been.

[@kaxtorplose]

That was hilarious! I love how you inject humor into every episode.

[@sweetsweatypeaches1328]

My great grandma's mom so my great great grandma was a baby when her and her family had to make that trek along the trail of tears. My great grandma cared for me from the ages of 2 until she died when I was 7 and those stories that were passed down to her were my favorite stories for her to tell ❤ I still miss her everyday... the 1830s seem so long ago but somehow also not that long ago... crazy

[@sweetsweatypeaches1328]

Also once my great great grandma was old enough she moved her and whatever family was left back to Tennessee where my great grandma grew up!! And even tho she moved to Illinois as an adult she still wanted to be buried in Tennessee and she was!!

[@Awakeningspirit20]

I truly hope this nation achieves balance one day and lets these people return to their homes. Imagine the Everglades National Park administered by or in part by the Seminole as their nation. Imagine the already-strong Cherokee presence in far western NC becoming something even more culturally significant. We can achieve balance; it's amazing to me that Native Americans feel such patriotism given what this nation did to them. Oklahoma, with Indian Territory again being recognized in a Supreme Court decision, is already proving that the Indian and non-Indian can live side by side and administer land together. We have to work for this; the reservation system is cruel and outdated.

[@iamzuesthisisthetruth8864]

I agree they should have to work for there Property like Everyone Else!!!! Enough of the Free Shit!! Past is Past!! I’m tired of Hearing about it!! If you don’t want Horrible Consequences then DONT LOSE THE WAR!!! I bet you would feel ALOT Different if these Tribes were Near your town before they were Removed!!! They would’ve hunted and Scalped YOU!!!! Lol PPl today have NO IDEA!!! But it feels good to Virtue Signal and beat up on America!!!! Truth is You would’ve BEEN BEGGING the Government to get those Heathens out of your Area!!! As would 99% of PPl in these Comments!!

[@DDDDD760]

Schools don't teach that American Indians had African slaves because that goes against the narrative that American Indians were peaceful and Whites were brutal, but this government high school teacher sure teaches the truth! I also use your videos in various lesson activities so keep making them.

[@Anaris10]

Do the research!. The ONLY way escaped slaves were kept from being returned to their masters was to be enrolled as a slave on tribal registers. Some were kept as slaves while some were adopted into the tribe.

[@BronzeSista]

@@Anaris10 There were 500 Black Seminoles on the trail of tears, and 3,500 Black Slaves and Freemans.

[@remingtongraves]

Does this school teacher also teach that Africans also owned slaves and sold other Africans to white men for slavery? Or does that go against your “narrative”?

[@thegyattiestmanalive22.2]

Schools plenty teach that natives had slaves. It’s just that whites had more, and they shipped them to the americas.

[@spicybrown75]

​@@richardboyer1346your anecdotal story doesn't negate mass genocide!

[@greghoadley1815]

This may very well be the saddest moment in US history. Very shameful that this was allowed to happen.

[@21MarketaDiva]

Greed

[@fluffy-fluffy5996]

What kind of surprised me most was that the native tribes knew what it meant to be unwanted and treated harshly, yet they themselves kept Afro-American slaves that were in turn apparently not treated too well by the tribes :-/.

[@Trent_-jl8xt]

Yeah. The Cherokee tried to assimilate as much as they could from creating a written alphabet for their native language to even owning slaves. Didn't do them any good.

[@bunniesbunniesbunnie]

Generally speaking, slavery was not common in the "five civilized tribes". It was almost entirely the $$ people who were trying to imitate white enslavers in an attempt to have their own skin color overlooked.

[@gnostic268]

Native Americans were the FIRST people to be enslaved in North America. They did not have slaves until they were taught this but colonizers 🙄 Unlike Africa where slaves still exist to this day

[@plawson8577]

Yes I’m aware. What’s been an open secret is that there’s Tons of Black Americans with Native American blood in them. My Great Grandfather was a Full blooded Cherokee who’s Sister was Half Black.

[@Trent_-jl8xt]

@@gnostic268 No, that's just not true. Some tribes would keep war captives as slaves prior to european colonization. Granted, it was very different than chattel slavery and treatment varied from tribe to tribe...but still slavery.

[@KeyAnnaMarieBelle]

First picture is inaccurate. Trail of tears started further East, including Murphy NC. Historically known to be Where the last of the Cherokee were who evaded being caught. The Last group ran into the mountains in the hanging dog area before being caught. Murphy was set up military camp (fort butler) and town where they pulled all the natives to be ready to start the gruesome journey. There’s tons of plaques throughout the town, a museum and online websites, etc claiming this. Murphy is now in a county called ‘Cherokee’ county where the Cherokee own 70% of the land.

[@Anna-fi9ex]

Please do more videos about native americans! This is the most interesting topic

[@auntvesuvi3872]

Thanks for this! 🪶🐎

[@LeoBlight]

I am glad that it was mentioned that there “civilized “ tribes had African American slaves with them! Most people try to leave that part of his out.

[@Ready4Whatever]

I didn’t even know native Americans had slaves. You learn something new everyday

[@julesj5853]

Indians also would enslave other Indians as well from other tribes especially the women and children. This idea that its all about white folk enslaving and oppressing people groups like they are the only ones doing it is a farce. Every culture, tribe and nation has done it and unfortunately it still happens in places like Africa. Another kind of slavery still happens here in America as well called sex trafficking. That needs to stop and really should be the highlight in politics and in media but people are so focused in on the past that they've never experienced. Leaving young boys, women and girls to be forced and trapped into prostitution on our city streets!

[@endearingart]

If you guys haven’t yet, you guys should make a video about Tecumseh. Thank you guys for the indigenous American history

[@alicerivierre]

Yeah, I wanna know more about Tecumseh, & Sitting Bull, please! 😍😍😍

[@ramanagal]

My Great Grandmother x3 walked the Trail of Tears, decided to stop at Arkansas. I even have a photo of her toward the end of her life, Tennessee Jones.

[@northmoons]

Thank you very much for going into this ♡ it's always glossed over as a 'sad time' but no one ever explains it in detail or with empathy. It's very shameful so I would imagine a tendency arose to do that.. I'm a Seneca myself, Nya:wëh ♡

[@dane3038]

Even THEY owned black slaves?! American society has come a long way, thank all. Let's never forget the past and be thankful for the present. There's still plenty of room for improvement, but we should be proud of our growth.

[@dane3038]

@jshowa o If you had to guess. I think maybe you're being biased. This were not the perfect people we currently make them out to be. Victims yes, but also victimizers. Let's keep it real.

[@Pou1gie1]

I am glad that this historical telling included the fact that NA ppl had Black African slaves. I feel like history gets intentionally lost when it doesn't fit cleanly within a narrative.

[@sb416]

It was hardly like owning them they were basically part of the tribe

[@sb416]

A lot of times they married the slaves and had babies.

[@americangirl6654]

@@sb416 Stop justifying slavery.

[@americangirl6654]

@jshowa o It doesn’t matter who had more slaves. Native Americans who had slaves are just as guilty as white people who did because slavery is WRONG no matter who is doing it. PERIOD.

[@americangirl6654]

@jshowa o Why are you going out of your way to justify slavery? “Oh, they didn’t have as many slaves so it’s not that bad.” Seriously?

[@AMI12349]

Great resource for my Pakistani online students who are doing an IELTS reading passage about the Trail of Tears! I learnt some gory things here that were not in the reading passage or history books I have previously read, like their having to make the walk barefoot during the wintertime with spectators staring at them! I grew up in the North Georgia mountains, and my high school research paper (100 pages, still in the Foxfire archives) was on Cherokee mythology and religion...went to the Cherokee reservation in North Carolina to do interviews for it. The American indigenous people were treated so much more brutally as compared to the hilltribe people here in Northern Thailand where I live now, and so, not surprisingly, are very different from the Thailand hilltribe people in their attitude toward showing their culture to tourists and outsiders.

[@josephinetracy1485]

SE Asians were still burning Austronesian villages as late as the late 1800s. Austronesians are the same race as currently occupies the island of New Guinea.

[@RosiePosey5150]

Welp I'm super depressed and sad now thanks for that. Seriously though thank you. It helps people like me who have a hard time caring about anyone. A perfect mix of info music/sounds to pluck the tiny only heart string I got.

[@alicerivierre]

That must have been a terrible experience for the Cherokee, & many other tribes. Andrew Jackson, in my opinion, was very questionable for his actions w. the Trail of Tears. I'd say screw him for doing that. What a dick.

[@kyleshiflet9952]

Andrew Jackson was known to sell slaves while in The White house

[@alicerivierre]

@@kyleshiflet9952 oh perfect! Another reason I don't like Andrew Jackson as a president - he totally sucked! Sorry for ranting. Please don't take rants personally. It's just shit like this bothers me when it comes to Native American genocides & slavery - I guess you can say that I believe fiercely of human rights & justice. That was not a sense of justice. Once again, my apologies for ranting. 😘❤

[@alicerivierre]

@J B true, but he still did the genocide & slavery thing. Jackson may have opened more opportunities out West for the settlers, but w. a cost of Indigenous lives & culture.

[@ScottyBennitone]

Trail of Tears didnt happen under Jackson.. It happened under Van Buren. Jackson wanted to preserve what natives remained . He thought the colonists would kill them over time. Jackson also had an adopted native son . Jackson treated his slaves very well , infact if you read the story of his slave Hannah they regarded him as a father , not a master. Slavery was the norm at the time across the entire globe, not just america, but he treated his slaves very well coming from a poor up bringing himself on a tobacco farm. Furthermore A recent federal bill memorializing as a National Historic Trail what has come to be known as the Cherokee Indian Trail of Tears is based on false history, argues William R. Higginbotham. In this article, the Texas-based writer delves into the historic record and concludes that about 840 Indians not the 4,000 figure commonly accepted died in the 1837-38 trek west; that the government-financed march was conducted by the Indians themselves; and that the phrase "Trail of Tears" was a label that was added 70 years later under questionable circumstances.) The problem with some of our accounts of history is that they have been manipulated to fit conclusions not borne out by facts. Nothing could be more intellectually dishonest.

[@ScottyBennitone]

@J B He also ended the central banking sytem and for the first time ever america was debt free. The young marxist brainwashed lass seems to think he was genocidal .

[@rvrandy1710]

My great grandmother a Seminole survived the trail of tears

[@crazycherokee8552]

I've heard so many different stories about the trail, from history lessons and family stories. Tsalagi (Cherokee) is my heritage, and my family kept their tribe, and some of their land in Cherokee, NC. My 2x great grandfather and his father were Chieftains of their tribe, and they passed down stories filled with dread about how they were forced to make the most of the little land they were given. While the men, women, and children that walked the trail were extortioned, worked to the bone, and were shot by random "locals" who disliked their skin and clothes, the rest of my people who stayed were pillaged like savages. Their land was raided during harvest seasons, animals were killed, sometimes for food, sometimes just for sport. And KZbin guidelines won't allow me to say what they did to the women. My grandfather was a product of what happened, I'll just leave it like that. He was eventually told to seek a better life amongst white men by his father, and so he did. Even though Tsalagi welcomed foreigners, my ancestors resented the foreigners who kept taking more and more without giving in return. My family is just one heritage line that became broken and scattered due to European colonizers...I hold no ill will towards Europeans, whites, or anyone that falls under Anglo-Saxon skin tone, but I won't tolerate any glorification of the actions of their ancestors. I love when history is told as is, despite how much it hurts my heart and soul hearing the actions my ancestors and their people went through, everyone needs to know the truth because it cannot be repeated.

[@QueenBeeLeigh]

Wonderful video. Thank you.

[@ilovemuslimfood666]

Coming from a frontiersman background where he’d had mostly friendly relations with the Native Americans, Davy Crockett strongly opposed the Indian Removal Act while he was in Congress, and it ended up costing him his political career. He migrated to Texas in search of a new start in politics, and ended up getting caught up in the Siege of the Alamo, where he would lose his life.

[@stone0234]

Which side did he fight for in the Alamo

[@bruceneeley1724]

That was difficult to watch. So terribly sad.

[@happypaws24]

lol baby

[@KennethD000]

I wish this episode was longer!

[@The-Artless-Gallery]

my ancestors were on the trail. my Grampa made it up there with his family. waited about an year and left in the middle of the night. took the long way home.

[@lindsayreeder9056]

The most surprising thing for me was the total lack of discussing my tribe, the Choctaws. We were the first to be removed, starting in 1831. We were the guinea pigs for this. It was dubbed the Trail of Tears by us. Oklahoma comes from the Choctaw words Okla and Homma, which means "honored people" and the lands still belong to the tribes, as the McGirt case Supreme Court ruling shows. There's also a group of women from the Choctaw Nation who make the yearly walk from Mississippi to Oklahoma, it's called Yappali. And the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma also does an annual 10mile walk to honor our ancestors who walked. Lastly, this walk also led to the creation of the Oklahoma Choctaws and Mississippi Choctaws as there were several who decided to stay in Mississippi. Please, all this information is available online. This could have been better researched and not so American textbook of solely focusing on the Cherokees. Yes they faced hardships, but we all did and we all deserve to be recognized for it and heard

[@lindsayreeder9056]

Also, my 5th great grandfather walked this when he was 6 and my 5th great grandma was an infant

[@jgallardo7344]

Can you do a video on how these Indigenous tribes were able to own slaves? Was that part of being the “5 Civilized tribes”?

[@donaldsmith8648]

Thank you for this.. my granddaddy was a full blood BlackHawk Indian from Illinois..

[@Barbossa778]

There’s actually historical markers in my hometown of Marietta, Ga, north of Atlanta, where part of the trail began in GA, and where the first death of the trail occurred

[@MikeJea]

People who aren't even being treated fairly and respect had slaves too. Dam. The definition of being on the bottom

[@PaiviProject]

Wow. This is the first time I hear about this. Those conditions sure were terrible :(

[@williamdemay9446]

I had read one time that the original plan was to move the tribes by river travel. The draught you mention made that impossible. There was a 2 year time frame for the Indians to prepare for the removal. John Ross the principal chief of the Cherokee did not prepare till the last moment even after the resposibility for removal had been put on him. He also did not spend all the money the government had allocated for supplies to sustain the people during the travels to Oklahoma. These factors added to the suffering of the people.

[@ilovephotography1254]

Andrew Jackson the face on the $20 bill. If you happen to be a Native American who ancestors were victims of Jacksons actions, it must be a painful reminder to see him still being honored today.

[@kotaniyumiko]

@@Olds_Pwr And those pros justify genocide 😂

[@suzandouglass5241]

I always fold his face inward on those.

[@ilovephotography1254]

@@Olds_Pwr1928 Jackson appeared on the $20 bill. Attitudes have evolved. Society appears to be more inclusive. In my opinion, it's time to retire his face our currently.

[@alicerivierre]

Let's put Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill! Wasn't that going to be a thing a while ago?

[@ilovephotography1254]

@@alicerivierre I'm good with that.

[@pamelamays4186]

The United States Government owes Native Americans a huge apology for all the atrocities it imposed on them.

[@marieelisa1]

They won't do it

[@VTnumb]

@@marieelisa1 Defense Appropriations Act of 2010 (H.R. 3326), a 67-page act, is Section 8113: "Apology to Native Peoples of the United States." "The United States, acting through Congress, apologizes on behalf of the people of the United States to all Native Peoples for the many instances of violence, maltreatment, and neglect inflicted on Native Peoples by citizens of the United States”

[@raventoocute3006]

This really reminds me of the show 1883 on prime. And no the show is not about the trail of tears and particular. However it's still around that time in history and you still encounter relations between the Indians and the cowboys and everything like that. It's a really good watch. I just watched the most recent episode today. You all should really check it out it's really good.

[@TheMormonSorceress]

I had a co-worker who had an ancestor that was on that trail. She told me that her ancestor was a little girl at the time and one kind soldier helped her make it by hiding her in a pickel barrel. It's good to know not all the soldiers were jerks.

[@NewMessage]

Stories like these make it hard not to think America's current troubles aren't just uppance a' comin'.

[@americangirl6654]

Every single country in the world has done terrible crap. This isn’t unique to America.

[@Armylady74]

So sad what my Cherokee ancestors went through. God bless them. Their land, and future was stolen from them!

[@pistolpayne]

Why did you serve your enemy?

[@Anaris10]

@@pistolpayne I am Native and very pragmatic. We are Americans by any metric now. The Indian Wars are long over and we recognize that to consider America "The Enemy" is to regress. Both my parents were Native and White, should I despise one or the other?. My family has served in the military going back to the Civil War.

[@Armylady74]

@@Anaris10 Amen brother! I had to very amazing veterans in my life that made me want to serve. Desmond Doss which Hacksaw Ridge was base off and Frank Buckles..the last WW I veteran who passed away in 2011. Both men were brave and strong!

[@PaydoggProductions]

When is the next timeline coming? I’ve watched the 80’s and 90’s more times then I can count😂 great video as always btw!

[@DAVexpeditions]

My Great-Grandparents survived the Trail of Tears and settled in the South Eastern part of Oklahoma.

[@cjdfv]

The most surprising thing I learned is that the US government broke promises. I didn't think that could ever happen. 🤣

[@princesstriceestar]

Thank you for this. I learned about this in elementary school and you've added more context to this. For those who've never heard of this and are American citizens, remember this is why learning history is important. Someone once said that history is written by the victors... think about it.

[@tinalafever1756]

I just found out my 4 the great grandma on my dad's side was full blooded Overhill Cherokee. Her name was Nar-Nee. She was lucky to marry my 4th great grandpa so she didn't have to leave. But the rest of her family(and mine) walked this horrible trail. It's heartbreaking and awful what they had to endure.

[@kevinlawler2571]

The Hildebrand route in southern Mo is right around the area that I grew up. I haven’t been in those areas in sometime.. I will have to visit there again.

[@mjackson780]

I am here today because some of my Cherokee ancestors hide in the NC mountains when it came time to leave on the Trail of Tears journey.

[@sb416]

Ours said they were Mexican

[@egyptcat4301]

It's a miracle any of us descendants exist today! My Grandmother would never say an unkind word about anyone, but I always knew how she felt about Andrew Jackson!

[@ZEVA1970]

My ancestor, Haley (English name because he was in a residential school) has born on the trail of tears. There are stories that were passed down within my family that his mother gave birth to him in the back of a wagon. He was 2ish when he finally reached Indian Territory.

[@crystalrelic_art]

As an Oklahoma resident(non-Native American), the Trail of Tears was heavily discussed during Oklahoma history class in high school. We even did a presentation for the Trail of Tears.

[@edwardmullins5301]

I have heard so much about this, but I didn't know the Oklahoma "Indians territory was no more and became a state in 1906. Neither did I know the Cherokee had slaves. Very surprising to me.

[@absolutelynoidea9781]

I didn’t know they had slaves either… literally no one on this shit planet likes us and we’ve always been mistreated by other races, we mistreat one another too😔

[@edwardmullins5301]

@@absolutelynoidea9781 I am 1/4 Cherokee myself, and very proud of it. But I never knew of any Native American owning slaves. Slavery in a form should never have happened.

[@angelface925]

A white Indian Agent, Douglas Cooper, upset by the Native Americans failure to practice a harsher form of bondage, insisted that Native Americans invite white men to live in their villages and "control matters."[26] One observer in the early 1840s wrote, "The full-blood Indian rarely works himself and but few of them make their slaves work. A slave among wild Indians is almost as free as his owner." Frederick Douglass stated in 1850, "the slave finds more of the milk of human kindness in the bosom of the savage Indian, than in the heart of his Christian master.[8] But references to Indian kindness were generally to the sanctuary offered by underground railroads operated by non-slaveholding Indians -- not to Indian who kept people in slavery.[27]

[@Hehewuti71]

My maternal family choctaw Chickasaw creek and Cherokee went through the Trail of Tears.

[@marthabennett4788]

My great great grandfather was on the trail of tears, its hard for me to understand such cruelity.

[@lesbw356]

Very sad that human beings with hatred and racism could be so cruel to their fellow human. Unfortunately it seems to regaining its momentum .

[@justaguy214]

If you want to talk about cruelty, you should look the complete history of slavery by ethnicity, with whites being a primary victim. It's not racism and hatred but it is colonization. We've been doing this since the dawn of man. Besides, many native tribes were savages and scalpers. Survival of the fittest.

[@bjs301]

Racism and hatred toward others has been the norm for virtually all of recorded history. And we are always just a few steps away from returning to it.

[@justaguy214]

@Huffin'n Stuffin Muffin Puffin Why not? I know the truth about actual history hurts but it is what it is. Victims are perpetrators.