Final answer:
The Cherokee deeply valued their land and saw the Treaty of New Echota, signed by a small unauthorized group, as illegitimate. This treaty led to the forced removal known as the Trail of Tears, resulting in significant loss of life and hardship.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cherokee Sentiments on Their Land & Criticisms of the Treaty of New Echota
The Cherokee Nation deeply valued their ancestral lands which they had inhabited for centuries. This connection to their land was not just economic but also cultural and spiritual. After the discovery of gold and the increased pressure from the state of Georgia, their land became even more contested. Despite adopting many aspects of white culture, such as farming and publishing in both English and Cherokee in the Cherokee Phoenix, their attempts at assimilation did not protect their land rights.
The Treaty of New Echota was criticized by the Cherokee people, particularly because it was signed by a minority faction within the Cherokee, known as the Treaty Party, without the authorization of the Cherokee government or the assent of the Cherokee people. Principal Chief John Ross and the vast majority of the Cherokee population considered the treaty illegitimate. Its signing resulted in the controversial and tragic forced removal, known as the Trail of Tears, and the devastating loss of life that occurred during this migration.