The Betrayed

My ancestors were told
give up the fight
Your homes, lands of plenty
Disown your right

We promise, young and old
a better life
Walk the trail to new lands
Free of all strife

Their lands and all they owned,
even their names
taken by trickery
Shackles and chains

Military action
forced them to leave
Twelve hundred miles they walked
Without reprieve

Thousands died on the trail
The trail of tears

This is a sad part of US History. Approx fifteen thousand American Indians were removed by force from their land. Approximately fifteen thousand were herded like cattle. They walked what is known as the Trail of Tears. Of these, four thousand died along the way of starvation, disease, and exhaustion. This was the plan of the President at the time, Andrew Jackson. This was known as the Indian Removal Act. Will we learn from history or will this happen again?