In Dee Brown's article, “Trail of Tears,” it is shown that without the faction of subchiefs headed by Major Ridge and Elias Boudinot, the US government would never have procured a treaty entitling them to Cherokee Indian land in Georgia. Although Ridge and Boudinot claimed their negotiation was a result of insight that “further resistance to the demands of the Georgia and United States governments was futile” they benefited largely from their cooperation with the government(Brown). Ridge in particular made a large haul in cash and his supporters as well, though to a lesser extent. If their intentions were indeed well meaning, it is highly suspicious that they and a small group of supporters were the only members of their tribe monetarily benefiting