Expansion caused a considerable amount of political instability with the Native Americans. Attitudes from Native Americans towards white settlement was negative, shown by the Pontiac Rebellion (1763) and Tecumsch’s campaign against white settlement (1809), and seemed to continue throughout the 100 years. Americans committed atrocities, Sand Creek Massacre of 1846: c.700 members of the Colorado Territory militia attacked tribes, killing women and children, and took land from the Cheyenne and Arapaho. This made American expansion difficult as Native Tribes were eager to fight for the land they had lived on for generations. Treaties with the tribes were made and changed (c.400) to enable American citizens to expand and complete their ‘Manifest
…show more content…
In his message to Congress, President Jackson stated “The consequences of a speedy removal will be important to the United States, to individual States, and to the Indians themselves. The pecuniary advantages which it promises to the Government are the least of its recommendations. It puts an end to all possible danger of collision between the authorities of the General and State Governments on account of the Indians. It will place a dense and civilized population in large tracts of country now occupied by a few savage hunters.” In this source, he argues the evacuation will stabilise their position with Indians, although the forced relocation became known as the “Trail of Tears” as it caused a 25% death rate for the tribes involved. The source is valuable as it exemplifies the lingering racial view that white settlers were more “civilized” than the Indigenous peoples. However, this source is from one perspective (President Jackson’s), meaning it overlooks the multiple reasons for the Indian Removal …show more content…
The source is further valuable because it sheds light on Jackson’s vision of land previously populated with Native Americans; hoping to increase the American population – like in California (1840s population was 8,000 and increased to 379994 during the 1860s) to increase economic development of that area. Despite the ‘positive’ message, the effect of this act was politically destabilising as “It bred a deep distrust of outsiders and government.” from the Native Americans. President Jackson said himself. The latest Act that impacted the Native Americans was the Homestead Act of 1862. This hastened white expansion by providing cheap land, thus forcing the Native Americans to move or settle alongside the white settlers. Expansion, from the Native American’s perspective, had a continuous destabilising impact even after the Civil
In his message to Congress, President Jackson stated “The consequences of a speedy removal will be important to the United States, to individual States, and to the Indians themselves. The pecuniary advantages which it promises to the Government are the least of its recommendations. It puts an end to all possible danger of collision between the authorities of the General and State Governments on account of the Indians. It will place a dense and civilized population in large tracts of country now occupied by a few savage hunters.” In this source, he argues the evacuation will stabilise their position with Indians, although the forced relocation became known as the “Trail of Tears” as it caused a 25% death rate for the tribes involved. The source is valuable as it exemplifies the lingering racial view that white settlers were more “civilized” than the Indigenous peoples. However, this source is from one perspective (President Jackson’s), meaning it overlooks the multiple reasons for the Indian Removal …show more content…
The source is further valuable because it sheds light on Jackson’s vision of land previously populated with Native Americans; hoping to increase the American population – like in California (1840s population was 8,000 and increased to 379994 during the 1860s) to increase economic development of that area. Despite the ‘positive’ message, the effect of this act was politically destabilising as “It bred a deep distrust of outsiders and government.” from the Native Americans. President Jackson said himself. The latest Act that impacted the Native Americans was the Homestead Act of 1862. This hastened white expansion by providing cheap land, thus forcing the Native Americans to move or settle alongside the white settlers. Expansion, from the Native American’s perspective, had a continuous destabilising impact even after the Civil