The Trail of Tears refers to the forced removal of Native American tribes, particularly the Cherokee, from their ancestral lands in the southeastern United States during the 1830s. Facilitated by the Indian Removal Act of 1830, thousands of Native Americans were displaced, leading to a perilous journey westward to designated Indian Territory. The journey was marked by hardship, suffering, and high mortality rates due to disease, exposure, and starvation. The term "Trail of Tears" encapsulates the profound grief and loss experienced by these communities, representing a dark chapter in American history regarding the treatment of Indigenous peoples.