The journey west was a distressing pill imposed on the Cherokee by the state and federal government. They cared very little about their society or their culture. They cared even less about justice. There was a road of distress, misery, disease and death known as The Way of Tears in 1838. The trail of tears was started by President Andrew Jackson. At one point the Cherokees were allies of Andrew Jackson. The trouble between the Cherokees and Andrew Jackson all began at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. It was then that Andrew Jackson's memorable story first began to have meaning. Jackson was considered a great hero after his great victory in this battle against the Creek Indians, which he would not have won had it not been for the Cherokee allies who fought alongside him. Several years later, in 1828, Andrew Jackson was elected president. Jackson's popularity and consecutive elections are primarily attributed to his pro-Indian removal platform. Once Jackson had the power to be president, he began to allow the white man to move into Cherokee land. Then Jackson allowed Georgia to extend state law and include the Cherokee Nation as part of the state. This challenged the Cherokees' dominance and caused their laws to be nullified. It was also because the white man found gold in the land of the Cherokee that made them truly bloodthirsty. The men were allegedly paid about $43 to sign the treaty against the Cherokee, called the “New Echota” Removal Program, also known as the Indian Removal Act. This didn't go over well with the Cherokees. In 1837 and 1838 military troops had rounded up over 2000 Cherokees and were forcibly moved westward by an overland ar or... middle of paper... voters. However, not everyone supported the Indian Removal Act. The act's most convincing opponent was Congressman Davy Crocket, but the act passed regardless of what Davy said. Once passed by Congress, Jackson quickly signed the bill into law. Jackson was pleased with “the accomplishment he achieved, such as the passage of the Indian Removal Act by Congress. In addition to allowing states to advance rapidly in population, wealth, and of course power, he believed the law would also help the Cherokee and other Indian tribes. Jackson in his 1830 convention speech stated that this would separate the Cherokee and other Indian tribes from the land of white settlers and free them from competition from the states. It should allow them to live as they want, in the rough way they want.