250 to 250: 62. Trail of Tears, Narrated by Shana Bushyhead Condill

 

 

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Trail of Tears, Narrated by Shana Bushyhead Condill

Shana Bushyhead Condill is a citizen of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), and Executive Director of the Museum of the Cherokee People in Cherokee, North Carolina. Shana Bushyhead Condill recounts the Trail of Tears, the brutal forced removal of Indigenous peoples whose survival remains a testament to Native resilience that endures today. ‪

In 1830, President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act.

• The law forced many American Indian tribes to leave their homes.
• Many tribes lived in the southeastern United States.
• Soldiers forced families to travel to Indian Territory, now Oklahoma.
• The trip was long and very difficult.
• Many people became sick or died on the journey.
• This journey is called the Trail of Tears.
• The Cherokee, Creek, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Seminole were among the tribes that were forced to move.
• Some Native Americans stayed on their ancestral lands.
• Native American people kept their cultures and traditions alive.
• Today, Native American communities continue to honor their history and their ancestors.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 4:01b. What was your previous home address?
• USCIS 100:59. / 128:74.   Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
• USCIS 100:87. / 128:117. Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.

Family Fun:

• ARCGIS: Trail of Tears story maps
• Chickasaw Kids: Interactive games
• Choctaw Cultural Legacy: Activity Books
• Florida Museum: Seminole Patchwork
• Muscogee/Creek: Mvskoke Language Resources
• NMAI: Native Knowledge 360: American Indian Removal: What Does It Mean to Remove a People?
• NPS: Trail of Tears | maps | documentary | Junior Ranger Activity Book
• PBS Learning Media: Trail of Tears (lesson plans and resources)
• ReadWorks: The Louisiana Purchase and the Trail of Tears (login required)
• The Cherokee Holiday: Activity Books
• Urban Iskwew: Coloring Pages many pages in different tribal languages by Hawlii Pichette (Mushkego Cree)