The document discusses the Indian Removal Act of 1830 and its consequences. It was passed to remove Native American tribes from their eastern lands to west of the Mississippi River in order to open up territory for white settlers. The Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek, Seminole, and Chickasaw tribes were most affected. Though removal was meant to be voluntary, it was often coerced and forced. The relocation led to the infamous Trail of Tears and the death of thousands of Native Americans from exposure. The removal opened up millions of acres for white settlement but was a tragic event for the Native peoples forced to relocate.