America's Westward Expansion
During the early 19th century, the United States of America was still growing into the mighty nation we know today. American pioneers set westward towards the Pacific ocean in search of new, fertile land. Unfortunately, as a result of this expansion, the native American population, which once covered the entire continent continued to be pushed into smaller and smaller areas. White Americans believed the diminishing population was simply an unavoidable result of the “Manifest Destiny”, an inevitable expansion of American land. This ideology was the cause of years of mistreatment of the nonwhites, especially Native Americans. Westward expansion was founded on ideas of white supremacy and the treatment of nonwhites during it was seen as an inevitable …show more content…
White Americans saw themselves as the advanced version of the the natives and the mistreatment of the natives of simply a part of America's development. The ideology was that it was only natural the more advanced society (Agricultural Americans) replace the uncivilized one (Hunter Natives), many citizens believing that “as civilization advanced westward, it must inevitably displace savagery” (Rogin, 101). The conquering of these natives whom had rightful claim to the land was also justified by the ideology of “parentism”, or the belief that the Native Americans needed to be protected by the superior American government. The Native Americans were seen as a childish society, naïve and in need of protection. President Andrew Jackson stating that it was “the moral duty of the Government of the United States to protect” what remained of the Native American population (Jackson, 109). This meant that the natives were relocated onto small territories, often far from where they had been living. There was no option for natives to remain in their homes, only to try and create a new home on the land which they no longer were the majority. The trek of Native Americans hundreds of miles was known as the Trail of Tears. By the end of America's expansion, very little of the original native population
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1231 Words | 5 PagesThe Manifest Destiny Effect and the Nez Perce In the mid 19th century Americans believed it was their duty to permeate the U.S. boundaries and into western territory. Not only did they believe it their duty as an American, but their divine right to obtain these lands. This is known as manifest destiny, “a future event accepted as inevitable” (Merriam-Webster). At the very heart of manifest destiny, was an obtuse belief in the supremacy of whites.
Pros And Cons Of The Indian Removal Act Of 1790
1501 Words | 7 PagesNative Americans who emigrated from Europe perceived the Indians as a friendly society with whom they dwelt with in harmony. While Native Americans were largely intensive agriculturalists and entrepreneurial in nature, the Indians were hunters and gatherers who earned a livelihood predominantly as nomads. By the 19th century, irrefutable territories i.e. the areas around River Mississippi were under exclusive occupation by the Indians. At the time, different Indian tribes such as the Chickasaws, Creeks, and Cherokees had adapted a sedentary lifestyle and practiced small-scale agriculture. According to the proponents of removal, the Indians were to move westwards into forested lands in order to generate additional space for development through agricultural production (Memorial of the Cherokee Indians).
How Did The Indian Removal Act Affect The Cherokee Nation
219 Words | 1 PagesMany people believed that the United States was the destiny of the western expansion to the Pacific, in fact, John O' Sullivan- a local newspaper editor- called it the Manifest destiny. Even John Q. Adams believed that the expansion was inevitable because he believes, "the Mississippi should flow to the sea.” A cause as to why they forced the Native Americans were because they wanted control of the Oregan country and its access to the Pacific Ocean for trade. Which affected the Cherokee nation because they were being forced to leave so they brought it up to the Supreme Court.
Progressive Era Policies: The Dawes Act And Indian Boarding Schools
914 Words | 4 Pagesgovernment towards Native Americans during the Progressive Era were not implemented in the best interests of Native Americans, but rather in the interests of the U.S. government and white settlers. These policies were motivated by a belief that Native Americans were "primitive" and in need of "civilizing," which led to the loss of Native American land and resources, as well as cultural genocide and trauma for generations of Native Americans. It is important to acknowledge and address the harm caused by these policies in order to move towards a more just and equitable
Westward Expansion After Civil War
762 Words | 4 PagesIn the years following the Revolutionary War the United States would begin to expand, although not popular among all citizens, it helped shape the country into what we know today. The first acquisition of territory would be as a result of the Treaty of Paris with Great Britain ending the Revolutionary War. This treaty marked the boundaries between the British colonies still located in North America and ceded the thirteen American colonies to a newly recognized country known as the United States of America. This would not be the only acquisition of territory that the United States would complete between the years of 1789 and 1815 but it would be the initial acquisition of territory that would develop this newly formed nation.
Was Reconstruction A Positive Or Negative Impact On African Americans?
4950 Words | 20 PagesThere are different perspectives on the history of Reconstruction; some people believe that rebuilding the South during the period of 1865 to 1877 was a very important stage in the United States history because it was the start of American Society as a home of freedom. However, others view Reconstruction as a negative impact on African Americans. Ronald E. Butchart sees Reconstruction as the main reason for educational discrimination against African Americans. Reconstruction in the South helped African Americans in good ways, such as giving them the freedom they deserved. Like anything else, Reconstruction in the South had purposes, achievements, and failures.
Native Americans: Bullied By White People
98 Words | 1 PagesNative Americans, the original group of people who lived in America, had bullied by white people in many ways. White people took their land and treat the native Americans unfairly. Native American suffered from this kind of situation. In 1800s, the U.S. government sent word that they had interest of buying Native Americans ' land. As a great leader and speaker of native Americans, Chief Seattle spoke out to replied U.S. government and stated that White people can do nothing more to harm them.
Westward Expansion Essay
703 Words | 3 PagesThe Westward Expansion all started when America made the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. There were many benefits from the purchase for the US that the French didn’t realize before they sold it. The purchase gave the US access to the Mississippi river which allowed for expansion of river trade to the North and South from the center of the US. The port city of New Orleans was bought by the US and its prosperity benefited the US greatly. The US sent Lewis and Clark west to investigate the land they purchased.
Cause And Effect Of Manifest Destiny
2016 Words | 9 PagesIf Native Americans were not compliant, Americans would murder them. Although Manifest Destiny was seen as an inevitable movement among Americans and resulted in the formation of the American West in the Nineteenth century, it was truthfully an act of invasion and subjugation against peoples who had settled the land for hundreds of years earlier. Manifest Destiny led to an obvious upsurge in racial
The Impact Of Westward Expansion On Native Americans
847 Words | 4 PagesNative Americans flourished in North America, but over time white settlers came and started invading their territory. Native Americans were constantly being thrown and pushed off their land. Sorrowfully this continued as the Americans looked for new opportunities and land in the West. When the whites came to the west, it changed the Native American’s lives forever. The Native Americans had to adapt to the whites, which was difficult for them.
Essay On Westward Expansion
719 Words | 3 PagesFor some, it was destiny to move west. Although there were many conflicts and disagreements between ourselves and others, it was destiny to move west because of overpopulation, new inventions of transportation methods, and new opportunities. In the 19th Century, overpopulation was one of the major reasons for Westward Expansion. Immigrants were flooding into America for new opportunities and new ways of life and there was just not enough land to suffice the needs for all of the people. These immigrants were arriving in America in the port cities on the East Coast.
The Trans-Mississippi West
784 Words | 4 PagesThe people who settled the west were greatly dependent on the US government and the policies they adopted. The settling of the west in the late 19th century was similar to the settlement of the south in the 1830’s. Andrew Jackson drove out the indians so that the valuable land of the south could be secured by white settlers. Once again, the federal government made it possible to settle the west by forcing indians off of their lands. A recurring theme in American history is manifest destiny and the attempt to develop unsettled lands by the federal government.
From A Native Daughter By Haunani-Kaay Trask Analysis
1000 Words | 4 PagesWhite vs. Native Americans Knowing the fact that Native Americans were pushed toward the Middle West and had to settle down against their wills are depressing. When the first Europeans came to this remote land and decided to make it their home, I was not sure whether they could imagine that the whole land is dominated by “invaders” called by the Native Americans, including the native Hawaii. “From a Native Daughter” by Haunani-Kay Trask showed us how these Natives’ feelings are being overlooked and silenced by white historians who do not know their language and culture. The author questioned Western historians were “looking at them with Western eyes, thinking about them within Western philosophical contexts, categorizing them by Western indices,
Prejudice And Discrimination In A Different Mirror By Ronald Takaki
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Native Americans In The 19th Century
951 Words | 4 PagesThroughout the 19th century Native Americans were treated far less than respectful by the United States’ government. This was the time when the United States wanted to expand and grow rapidly as a land, and to achieve this goal, the Native Americans were “pushed” westward. It was a memorable and tricky time in the Natives’ history, and the US government made many treatments with the Native Americans, making big changes on the Indian nation. Native Americans wanted to live peacefully with the white men, but the result of treatments and agreements was not quite peaceful. This precedent of mistreatment of minorities began with Andrew Jackson’s indian removal policies to the tribes of Oklahoma (specifically the Cherokee indians) in 1829 because of the lack of respect given to the indians during the removal laws.
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