Moe Moe Bay and Little Mountain Letters

     As a final project for our study of the Southeast, we were asked to complete a letter writing project that would allow us to "show what we know" about specific historical events that related to the settlement of this region. Mrs. Hoyme gave us a choice menu of four different letters we could write. Here are just a few of them.

 

 

 

Choice #1: Friendly letter to your friend, Little Mountain

     Suppose you are a Cherokee who must leave the land you live on in the Southeast. Write a letter to your friend, little mountain telling what life was like on the Trail of Tears and how it feels to be forced to leave your home.

 

 
Dear Little Mountain,
    It was hard deciding what I should take, because I can only carry so much weight on my back. We have now left Georgia and we are on our way to Oklahoma. It is a very hard and sad trail. I just remembered, I forgot my canteen, but I can't turn around and get it. I have got a lot of dust in my eyes, and I have been breathing it in my mouth because of all the horses galloping on the dusty ground. I am very hungry, thirsty, and tired.
    I am also very sad to leave one of my very good friends behind. She cannot come because most of her family is there and she has two children that she would have to bring with her. she said that most chances of her bringing her children are that they will probably die without food and water.
    I have heard today that 305 Cherokee have died so far. I feel very ill and I want to stop and rest, but I can't because I will fall behind. I hope I will not die. I hope I will survive.
    Today I got a ride n a horse for 5 miles so I rested a little bit. Now I am getting off the horse and my legs are very numb and sore. Other Cherokees and I are now walking on rocky land. So far on this trip 2,789 Cherokee died.
    My mouth is so dry and if I had my canteen I would love. I wish I would have brought it along. Somebody said up front that there was a water hole coming up. I hope somebody will have an extra canteen that I could drink out of. There was a Cherokee that had 3 canteens and said that I could borrow one of his canteens but he said if I don't don't get it back to him or return it that is fine. I have got a sip of water and I feel that I am ready to travel again. I filled my canteen and I will have to make it last until the next water stop.
    We are around 20 miles from Oklahoma and they say that about 4,000 Cherokee have died along the trail. This is so hard on everybody and I am sad and tired. I am going to make it - I am determined. I have made it this far so I will be able to make it.
    A couple days later we arrive in Oklahoma and I am ready to rest. We get a little bit to eat and drink before we rest. This is going to be another adventure to start a new life.

Your friend,
Cherokee Lora

 
                                                      Box 38
                                                     Oklahoma City   
                                                     Oklahoma 1860
Dear Little Mountain,
   
     I am finally in my new home tonight. I made it through the Trail of Tears. It was so hard to leave the village and it was very hard on the Trail. The only thing I could take with me is the stuff I could carry on my back.
    My brother died from being whooped because he tried to sneak away. I told him he shouldn't go but he wouldn't listen to me. I almost got whipped too but I sacrificed my water to the person with the gun for a day and a half.
    It just feels so good to be off the Trail of Tears but I just wish we didn't have to leave Georgia.

 

Your Friend

 
Dear Little Mountain,
   I am very tired. We just got kicked out of our homes and on our way to  Oklahoma. It isn't that easy getting forced out of your home to make room for strangers. There are soldiers in the front leading the way and in the back watching every  move we  do. I am all alone with my brother because my parents were forced to go another way. I am so afraid my parents will be killed by those nasty soldier with their huge guns. I am hungry and tired and my feet hurt from all the gravel and dirt. Mostly I am scared.
   4,000 of my people have died. I hope I'm not. I still have my baby brother and I am trying hard to keep him alive and healthy. He is getting skinnier every day and weaker. He is the only one left in my family.
   This trail seems like it will never stop. I am only nine and this trip wasn't scheduled. I hope this horrible long trip to Oklahoma ends pretty soon.
   My brother and I were sick the day the soldiers came and I still am weak and still don't feel the best yet. Once a grown up women stopped to take a breath and a soldier took out one of those shiny whips and struck her on the back. She is dead know.
   You  don't know how hard life is right now. It used to be so easy. Yesterday one soldier with an ugly uniform came right up to me and said put your baby in that lady's lap. I yelled and screamed but he didn't do anything. I was confused. All of the sudden everything went black as I was pushed to the ground. I hit my head on a rock. I laid there crying and still had my brother in my hands. After a couple of days the swelling on my head got better.
   We are about four days away from getting to Oklahoma. I am so glad! I have to go now my brother is crying.

Sincerely,
Soaring Eagle

 

 

 

Choice #2:  Letter to the Editor of the Montgomery Herald

     You are a close friend of Rosa Parks. You and several African Americans have boycotted the Montgomery buses to win your civil rights. Write a letter to the Editor of Montgomery Herald to persuade people to join the bus boycott. Explain why civil rights are important to everyone in the community.  

 

   

 

Choice #3 Friendly letter to Moe Moe Bay Aylee

     Your name is Renty. You are a slave of Master Aylee, a cotton plantation owner. You have been led to freedom by Harriet Tubman on the Underground Railroad to  Canada. Write a letter to your friend MoeMoe Bay Aylee describing some of the dangers you faced on your journey. Tell her what it is like to be safe and free. 

Dear, Moe Moe Bay,

     I am finally free. I have no more work to do. I made it to Canada.
     I was on the Underground Railroad. I felt scared when dogs were chasing me. I threw dirt at them and they finally went away.
     The worst part was in the dark. I was scared and I had a hard time seeing. Then I saw a light up ahead. It was the opening to freedom. I was so excited to finally be free.

Sincerely.
Renty

 

Dear Moe Moe Bay,
     It has been a hard trip to Canada! We were in hiding most of the day and only traveled at night. We went many miles all by foot. I felt tired and hungry for much of the journey. It feels great to be free. There is no one bossing me around telling me what to do. There's so much to do with freedom. I hope to get a job and a house soon.
     One night we heard these noises. It sounded like leaves crunching and footsteps. It turned out to be a cow. We were so worried that it was someone coming and that we would be captured.
     You should really try to sneak out. Harriet Tubman said she was coming your way. I would love to see you again. I'm exhausted and lonesome.

Your friend ,
Renty
June 25, 1859

Dear Moe Moe Bay,

I can't believe I made it into the free state of Minnesota! It was a hard, rough trip. I am very tired, but excited to share my story with you and the other slaves in Louisiana.

After my escape I met Harriet Tubman in New Orleans. She led me to twenty other escaped slaves at the beginning of the Underground Railroad. Together we traveled north along the Mississippi River toward freedom.

When we were in Arkansas we had to hide from many soldiers. We hid in a cave along the river for two days. We were running out of food. We washed our clothing and fished in the river at night so the soldiers would not see us. We could not have a fire. It was very damp and cold in the cave. We slept on the ground.

We saw several paddleboats in Missouri. One night we saw a really big paddleboat. There was music and lots of lights. People were talking and playing casino games. I wished I could be on board playing games!

We walked through 5 states on our way to Minnesota. It felt very good to cross the border of Missouri into the free state of Iowa! The only thing I did not like about the free states was the mosquito, small bugs that bite you.

We saw many posters for the capture of Harriet Tubman along the way. There was a $40,000 toward posted. I hope she never gets captured. She is a very good lady. I want her to help you get to freedom, too.

Sincerely,
Renty

 Dear Moe Moe Bay,

I have finally reached my new home in Canada. I am living in a house on the beach by Lake Superior.

We traveled for a long time over a dirt trail through eater, weeds, and fields. We faced many dangers on our trip. The soldiers barked and chased us. The dogs nipped at my coat and tried to drag me back to the soldiers. I was able to get loose and ran further up the path and hid in the huge trees.

We were also very hungry and thirsty on the trail. We found a lake and had a brink but it didn't taste good. We found an apple tree, we had to share because there weren't enough. I was afraid of the dark because I thought there was going to be soldiers who would jump from the trees and capture us.

We traveled for months. Sometimes we wouldn't eat for days. Otherwise we would eat bugs as we walked through the woods. We save a fence. We knew it was freedom.

Your friend,
Renty

 

Choice # 4 Write a friendly letter to your friend Judi

     Suppose you are a South African living in Cape Town voting for the first time. Write a letter to your friend, Judi, in the United States explaining how it feels to have that right for the very first time.  

   

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