Mark R. Cheathem A.J. Langguth, Andrew Jackson, Cherokee Indians, Indian removal, Trail of Tears

Brief Book Review of A.J. Langguth’s Driven West: Andrew Jackson and the Trail of Tears to the Civil War

I recently completed a review of A.J. Langguth's Driven West: Andrew Jackson and the Trail of Tears to the Civil War for Presidential Studies Quarterly. In brief, historians will not find anything new in the book, while general readers should beware of several factual and interpretive errors. You can read another review by Adam Pratt … Continue reading Brief Book Review of A.J. Langguth’s Driven West: Andrew Jackson and the Trail of Tears to the Civil War

Mark R. Cheathem Bradley County, Cherokee Indians, Red Clay State Park, Tennessee, Trail of Tears

Surrounded by Cherokee History

Little did I realize growing up that I was surrounded by the history of the Jacksonian period. I spent many of my school field trips and church outings at Red Clay State Park, located about ten miles from my hometown of Cleveland, Tennessee. Red Clay served as "the seat of Cherokee government" from 1832-1838, but for … Continue reading Surrounded by Cherokee History