Question

what hardships did cherokee peoples suffer when they were forced to walk the trail of tears?
a. forced to endure the cruel treatment of the troops, many ran away and did not survive on their own.
b. forced to travel during the harsh heat of summer, many died of starvation and heat exhaustion.
c. forced to walk in winter without shoes or warm clothes, many died from pneumonia and smallpox.
d. forced to travel without the protection of their weapons, they were exposed to attacks from other indigenous groups.

Explanation:

The Trail of Tears was a forced relocation of Native Americans in the 1830s. The Cherokee were forced to walk long distances in harsh winter conditions without proper footwear or warm clothing. This led to many deaths from pneumonia (an illness exacerbated by cold and exposure) and smallpox (a disease that spread more easily in such harsh and crowded - during - travel conditions).

• Option A: While there was mistreatment, the main hardships were more about the environmental and health aspects rather than just troops' cruelty leading to running away as the primary cause of suffering.
• Option B: The Trail of Tears mainly involved winter travel, not summer.
• Option D: Weapon protection was not the main issue compared to the cold - related and disease - related hardships.

Answer:

C. Forced to walk in winter without shoes or warm clothes, many died from pneumonia and smallpox.