Final answer:
The Cherokee sought to acculturate by adopting a written language, shifting to agriculture, converting to Christianity, and establishing a centralized government, but these changes did not prevent their forced removal known as the Trail of Tears.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Cherokee, one of the Five Civilized Tribes, underwent significant changes in an attempt to acculturate and handle the pressures of an encroaching American society. These changes included:
- Adoption of a written language: After the development of the Cherokee syllabary by Sequoyah, the Cherokees became literate, started their own newspaper, The Cherokee Phoenix, and used written language for official documents and cultural preservation.
- Shift to agriculture: The Cherokee embraced agriculture vigorously, mirroring American farming practices by growing cotton and owning plantations.
- Conversion to Christianity: A portion of the Cherokee population converted to Christianity, further aligning their social practices with American norms.
- Establishment of a centralized government: In 1827, the Cherokee established a government based on the American model, with a three-branch system including a principal chief, a legislature, and an independent judiciary with a Supreme Court.
Despite these extensive efforts to assimilate and acculturate, the Cherokee faced intense pressure and eventual forced removal, more commonly known as the Trail of Tears, due to the desire of white settlers and the state of Georgia for their lands.