What was a major consequence of the Indian Removal Act?

The Indian Removal Act, passed in 1830, had significant ramifications for Native American communities, the most direct being the forced relocation of thousands of Native Americans from their ancestral lands. This policy was premised on the belief that American expansion necessitated moving Native tribes to the west, particularly into what is now Oklahoma, to make way for white settlers and agricultural development in the southeastern United States. The act led to a notorious series of events, most infamously the Trail of Tears, where thousands of Native Americans were compelled to march long distances under harsh conditions, resulting in high mortality rates and suffering.

While the creation of Native American reservations and treaties with tribes occurred partly in response to the removal efforts, these were not the primary direct consequence of the Indian Removal Act. Additionally, the link between the act and increased agricultural production was more an indirect outcome, as the cleared lands were intended for cultivation by European American settlers rather than a benefit to Native Americans themselves. Thus, the forced relocation of Native Americans stands out as the most significant and direct consequence of the Indian Removal Act.