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Compare And Contrast The Mexican American War And The Declaration Of Independence

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Matt Finegan Ms. Macintosh United States History 20 January 2023 The government did not fully uphold the values of the right to life, consent of the governed, and liberty within the first 100 years of America's existence. While the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were significant steps towards creating a nation built on principles of equality and individual rights, the reality of America's history has been more complex. The idea of "all men are created equal" did not initially apply to all practically nonwhite people. In particular, the treatment of Indigenous peoples, Mexicans, Native Americans, and African Americans by the government is emphasized. Two significant events, the Indian Removal Act of 1830 and the Massacre at …show more content…

This is shown by three significant events: the Mexican-American War, the Trail of Tears, and the Kansas-Nebraska Act. These events prove that the government prioritized expanding and maintaining the power of the elite class over truly respecting the rights and autonomy of these groups of people. The Mexican-American War, in which the U.S. government annexed large portions of Mexican Territory without the consent of the Mexican people, was a massive violation of the principle of consent of the governed. The justification for the war was the belief in "Manifest Destiny," which ignored the fact that the land was already inhabited and governed by another sovereign nation. The people living there had no say in the matter. This had no consent from the Mexican people and, in the name of American expansion, showed a clear disregard for their right to self-government. The Mexican-American War violated the value of the governed's consent and disregarded the sovereignty of another nation and the rights of the people living there. The Trail of Tears, in which thousands of Native Americans were forcibly removed from their ancestral lands and relocated to reservations without their consent, was another time of Americans not following the value of consent of the governed. The government used the Indian Removal Act of 1830 to justify these actions, arguing that it was necessary for the expansion of white settlers. However, this forced relocation ignored the rights of the Native American tribes and violated their right to self-government. The act resulted in the deaths of thousands of Native Americans due to disease, starvation, and exposure. The Trail of Tears violated the principle of consent of the governed and disregarded the rights

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The Pros And Cons Of The Trail Of Tears

277 Words | 2 Pages

The trail of Tears was an unethical decision implemented by the government of the United State. The President Jackson used force to push the native American out of their lands. According to www.ushistory.gov, << Over 20,000 Cherokees were forced to march westward along the Trail of Tears. About a quarter of them died along the way>>.

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Compare And Contrast Jackson Dbq

982 Words | 4 Pages

in earlier treaties , it was proclaimed that the indians were under the protection of the united states however jackson still tried to take the lands by encouraging congress to establish the removal act. if there was an agreement with the removal act , the native americans would give up all their land and the government would help them financially to move and would still be under the protection of the united states. the cherokee resisted the removal act and decided to settle it in court. chief justice marshall ruled in favor of the cherokee tribe however it did not stop jackson. jackson eventually obtained the cherokee chiefs signature which led to the trail of tears as shown in document g. the trial of tears led to the death of many native americans.

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Indian Removal Act Of 1830 Dbq

154 Words | 1 Pages

The Indian Removal Act of 1830 was a time where there were lots of contradictions. Meanwhile It was a period of land hungry Americans who wanted to expand land democratic institutions which unfolded the limitations of democracy. The states put an end to property restrictions and due to the Louisiana purchase of1812 the American's saw more opportunities to start expanding and settling in towards the west, but was all destroyed for the native Americans who lived that way. No one knew the way the democracy worked at this age better than the Cherokees, who embraced their lifestyle and culture only to be mistreated and misunderstood when sent to be moved forcibly against their will from their home land and move to the east. In this document I will

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Indian Removal Act Of 1830 Research Paper

425 Words | 2 Pages

The Indian Removal Act of 1830 was not justified, not everyone agreed and signed the treaty, of the Native Americans who did decided to move, many ended up dying, and in wars later on they sided with the Americans and fought with them. First of all, not everyone agreed and signed the treaty. The Cherokee and many other Native Americans were treated unfairly. They were also often cheated out of deals.

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Was Andrew Jackson Justified In The Indian Removal Act

1296 Words | 6 Pages

The authors of each article tackle the daunting task of representing the Indian Removal Act, the Trail of Tears, and president Andrew Jacksons approach, appropriately while also including their own personal opinions. They also must back up their points with fact and reason. Each author has a unique opinion compared to the others, and when read all together, provide a better understanding from multiple sides and sources. The question the authors debate is whether Andrew Jackson was justified in his removal of Native Americans by use of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. Was he protecting the safety of the Native Americans by moving them, or was he only progressing the agenda of the white man?

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281 Words | 2 Pages

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1086 Words | 5 Pages

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498 Words | 2 Pages

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How Does The Ghost Dance Affect The Life Of Native Americans?

711 Words | 3 Pages

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951 Words | 4 Pages

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2743 Words | 11 Pages

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