This documentary history provides a treatment of the forced removal of the Cherokee Indians in 1838 from their lands in the southeastern United States to what later became Oklahoma. Drawn from diverse sources - Cherokee writings, government documents, speeches, and newspaper articles - the selections present a variety of perspectives on this episode in American history. An introductory essay provides background information on racial attitudes, economic issues, and expansionism in early nineteenth-century America. Also included in the volume are detailed headnotes, photographs and maps, a chronology, and an index. --From publisher's description.