Final answer:
The Cherokee were compelled to move from a matrilineal to patrilineal society due to legislative pressure from Georgia, loss of land, and the forced relocation known as the Trail of Tears, which disrupted traditional structures and led to the adoption of European-American norms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The pressures that moved the Cherokee from matrilineal to patrilineal descent can be traced back to the increasing encroachment and legislative measures by the state of Georgia, particularly after the discovery of gold on Cherokee land in 1827. The state undermined the Cherokee governing structures, harassed the population, and extended state laws over Cherokee lands, forcing a shift in the traditional social framework. Additionally, the Indian Removal Act and the subsequent Trail of Tears further disrupted Cherokee society, as surviving members had to adapt to new circumstances while facing external pressures to conform to European-American norms, which included patrilineal descent and family structures.
In matrilineal societies like that of the Cherokee, inheritance and family ties were traditionally traced through women, with children seen as belonging to the mother's lineage. However, as the Cherokee faced relentless pressures from external forces, such as the loss of land and forced relocation, there was a shift towards the patrilineal system, which was dominant in European-American society. This shift was part of the larger process of adopting European-American customs and structures in a bid to resist removal and survive culturally and politically post-removal.