Which treaty signed by Major Ridge is associated with the Trail of Tears?

The Treaty of New Echota is directly linked to the Trail of Tears, as it was the agreement signed in 1835 by a small faction of the Cherokee Nation, including Major Ridge, that ceded Cherokee land in the southeastern United States to the federal government. Although this treaty was highly controversial and not authorized by the majority of the Cherokee leaders, it facilitated the forced removal of the Cherokee people from their ancestral lands, a tragic event that became known as the Trail of Tears.

This removal led to the suffering and death of thousands of Cherokee during the journey to designated Indian Territory in present-day Oklahoma. The treaty's significance is profound, as it represents the clash between federal policies and Native American sovereignty, culminating in one of the most somber chapters of U.S. history regarding Indigenous rights and forced relocation. The other treaties listed, while historical, do not pertain to the specific circumstances of the Trail of Tears or the actions taken by Major Ridge regarding Cherokee land.