The Trail of Tears

The Trail of Tears recounts the devastating true story of how the great Cherokee Nation — after years of fighting diplomatically and legally to keep their ancestral lands in the American Southeast — was forced by President Andrew Jackson's Indian Removal Act of 1838 to abandon their homes and march over 1,200 miles to a new settlement in Oklahoma in the dead of winter, a journey so brutal and deadly that the Cherokee call it Nunna daul Tsuny: the trail where they cried. Written by acclaimed Abenaki author Joseph Bruchac and illustrated by Diana Magnuson, this Step 5 reader brings this pivotal tragedy to life with clarity and dignity.

This is an important book for students because it centers the Cherokee perspective on removal and survival, and provides an honest and accessible introduction to one of the most painful chapters in American history.

Publishing Details

Author : Joseph Bruchac

Illustrator : Diana Magnuson

Author Nationality : United States

Physical Details

Type of Book: Chapter

Cover: Softcover

Pages: 48

Size: 9.1 x 5.9 inches

Year Published: 1999

Instructional Details

Reading Grade Level: 2nd

Genre: Non-Fiction

Sub-Genre: Historical Fiction

Theme: Native Americans, Social Issues, Social Studies, War