The price of Cherokee removal

Matthew Gregg and David M. Wishart

Explorations in Economic History, 2012, vol. 49, issue 4, 423-442

Abstract: In this paper, we estimate the social costs and income transfers of Cherokee removal, i.e., “The Trail of Tears.” Our cost estimates provide several new insights into this extensively studied topic. First, our estimate of the number of removal-related fatalities is considerably lower than the commonly accepted figure of 4000. Second, the uncompensated value of ceded Cherokee land in the southeast was the largest cost borne by the Cherokees, followed in magnitude by the value of lost agricultural output due to removal. Third, American taxpayers paid for roughly 44% of the total social costs of removal. Also, the cost burden of Cherokee removal, as a share of 1year's GDP, was greater for the Cherokees than the cost burden of any major war for the American population.

Keywords: American Indians; Cherokee removal; Trail of tears; Economic costs; Cost accounting; Transaction costs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H56 J41 N41 N42 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (11)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:exehis:v:49:y:2012:i:4:p:423-442

DOI: 10.1016/j.eeh.2012.07.005

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