<P> The Trail of Tears was a series of forced relocations of Native American peoples from their ancestral homelands in the Southeastern United States , to areas to the west ( usually west of the Mississippi River ) that had been designated as Indian Territory . The forced relocations were carried out by government authorities following the passage of the Indian Removal Act in 1830 . The relocated peoples suffered from exposure , disease , and starvation while en route to their new designated reserve , and many died before reaching their destinations . The forced removals included members of the Cherokee , Muscogee ( Creek ) , Seminole , Chickasaw , Choctaw , and Ponca nations . The phrase `` Trail of Tears '' originates from a description of the removal of many Native American tribes , including the infamous Cherokee Nation relocation in 1838 . </P>
where did the cherokee trail of tears start
from their ancestral homelands in the Southeastern United States