"The Trail of Tears was where the Cherokee Indians were driven out of the Chattanooga area all the way to Oklahoma. One third of the entire nation died en route.... Evolution is responsible for what happened to the Indians. How any Indian can believe in evolution just blows my mind.... the evolution theory is what destroyed them." --- Rev Hovind, Ch. 4

"It was 'Manifest Destiny,' that was used to justify the displacement of The People. And there were two main aspects to Manifest destiny also. One was a sense of "mission", in that it was only natural that as a nation, the continent would end up being dominated by white european settlers. This would *appear* to support 'dr.' Hovinds assertion, but what was the basis for this idea? As Louanne's post points out, Dr. Forrest points out, that "The Origin of Species" wasn't published until 1859, yet the doctrine of Manifest Destiny was the being used long before that as a doctrine to take land, by force if necessary. But the thing is, the inspiration had nothing to do with anything that would even be incorporated as such in evolutionary terms, rather the inspiration was religious. Manifest Destiny, though a political philosophy was largely driven by the belief that it was God will, that the early American settlers spread across the continent to spread Gods word, and in so doing claim the land.

"I guess, like a true Creation 'scientist,' Hovind ignores the real inspiration of a doctrine that was really responsible for such things as the 'Trail of Tears.' It was those fine, upstanding Christian values and beliefs." --- Boikat