The forced relocation of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands to designated territories further west, primarily through the Indian Removal Act of 1830.
Related terms
Trail of Tears: The infamous journey where thousands of Cherokee people were forcibly removed from their homes in Georgia and forced to march westward, resulting in the deaths of thousands due to harsh conditions.
Worcester v. Georgia: A Supreme Court case in 1832 that ruled that the state of Georgia could not regulate access by U.S. citizens to Cherokee territory, but it was ultimately ignored by President Andrew Jackson.
Bureau of Indian Affairs: An agency created in 1824 responsible for managing relationships between the federal government and Native American tribes, including implementing assimilation policies.