This work investigates the systemic displacement and forced relocation of indigenous populations in the United States during the early to mid-nineteenth century. Gloria Jahoda utilizes historical records and archival accounts to document the federal policies that led to the removal of over fifty tribes from their ancestral lands east of the Mississippi River. The text argues that these actions were characterized by administrative coercion, logistical negligence, and significant human suffering during the resettlement process in the West.

Historians and readers often note the narrative intensity of the prose, which prioritizes the human cost of federal policy over purely bureaucratic analysis. It is frequently cited as a foundational text for those seeking a comprehensive overview of the removal era's impact on indigenous sovereignty.