The Indian Removal Act of 1830 authorized the U.S. government to relocate Native American tribes from their ancestral lands in the southeastern United States. This policy, championed by President Andrew Jackson and primarily motivated by the demand for land for cotton cultivation and gold discovery, forcibly displaced thousands. This drive for territorial expansion was deeply rooted in the concept of Manifest Destiny. Key tribes affected included the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Seminole nations. Despite legal challenges, such as the Cherokee Nation's case in Worcester v. Georgia before the Supreme Court, the Act's implementation led to the forced removal of an estimated 60,000 Native Americans. The most tragic consequence was the Trail of Tears.
