Indian Removal Act: A law passed in 1830 that authorized the forced removal of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands in the southeastern United States.
Trail of Tears: The devastating journey undertaken by thousands of Native Americans, including the Cherokee Nation, as they were forcibly relocated to designated Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River.
Sovereignty: The supreme authority or power held by a self-governing state or nation. In relation to Cherokee rights, it refers to their ability to govern themselves without interference from external forces.