Final answer:
Descent in the context provided refers to hereditary derivation or lineage within the Cherokee tribes. It is a critical factor in understanding kinship, inheritance, and marriage within the tribes, especially given the historical event of the Trail of Tears.
Step-by-step explanation:
The best meaning for descent as it is used in the sentence from the Cherokee Indian Ancest US Dept. of the Interior is hereditary derivation or lineage. Descent refers to the way families trace their kinship connections and social obligations to each other between generations of ancestors and generations to come. In the context of the Cherokee tribes, this concept is particularly important, as it may determine inheritance rights, alliance, and marriage rules.
The Trail of Tears is the name given to the forced removal of the Cherokee tribes from Georgia to Oklahoma, which is a significant historical event related to the concept of descent because it reflects the disruption and re-establishment of Cherokee kinship structures as they were forced to migrate and adapt to new environments.