Jessica O’Connell
HIS 200: Applied History
Southern New Hampshire University
April 3, 2021
Introduction
“Almost everyone had to walk as the conveyance they had were inadequate for transport-
ing what few possessions they had and their meager supply of food. Only the old people and lit-
tle children were allowed to ride. They died by the hundreds and were buried by the roadside. As
they were not allowed to remove any of their household goods, they arrived at their destination with nothing with which to start housekeeping” Ella Robinson, a Cherokee living in Oklahoma after the Trail of Tears, accounts (Payne, 1937). This is one of many similar accounts of Native American tribes forced to relocate on what was named the Trail of Tears. The Cherokee had a domestic life throughout generations featuring strong traditions of agriculture and fortifying their
land. By no means was the group migrational or nomadic like other tribes were. This resulted in an especially difficult time for the Cherokee on the Trail of Tears as they were ill-equipped for such a journey. However, their resilience endured and new customs were added to their formal habits in an attempt to survive. Cherokee domestic life held strong traditions prior to the forced relocation of the “Trail of Tears” yet it shifted in numerous ways upon settling in Oklahoma due to forced adaption to a migratory lifestyle. References
