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R- Foreign Policy 1865-77 ( Native Americans) x (The Manifest Destiny (God…
R- Foreign Policy 1865-77 ( Native Americans) x
Reasons for Westward expansion
some people say it just happened
Result of demography once more settlers came they needed more room
mission to bring the benefits of American way of life and democracy and freedom
deliberate policiy following the imperialism of europe
Westward expansion pre Civil War
started in 1840's with mormons trying to escape persecution in the East
High taxes and overpopulation
new better life with cheap fertile land
Encourgaed by the governemnt as more americans in the area the better for the goernemtn to take over
discovery of gold in California 1848 brought 300,000 people
The Manifest Destiny
God had chosen them to populate lands from the Atlantic to the Pacific
coined by O'Sullivan in his essay Annexation
Gave Americans the divine right to spread its Christian and republican values
bring liberty and freedom to other American territories
Racial doctrine of white supreamacy as no non-whites had claims to the land of North America in their eyes
Key slogan to justify expansion 1840-90 esp in texas and California
Also lead to the US control of Hawaii and the Phillippines
Westward expansion
Federal territories
governed by officials appointed by the federal governement
became subject to USA laws
To become a state they had to hae an elected state assembley and had the right to make their own laws
When the population became 60,000 the inhabitants could apply to become a state
The Homestead Act 1862
160 acre plots available to farmers for free if they would farm the land for 5 years
First claim was by Daniel Freeman 1863 showing anyone could make a claim
Had to file their intentions at the Land Office and pay a filing fee of $10 and $2 commission
by 1865 20,000 homesteaders had settled on the plaines
Timber and Culture Act 1873 gave an extra 160 acres if 40 acres were planted with trees
Desert and Land Act 1877 offered extra 640 acres at $1.25 an Acre if some was irrigated
Bonanza Farms ( very large) as by 1880 there were 3,000 of them more than 1,000 acres
Pull factors
Cheap land
Railroad companys advertisemnet and offers
Chance at a new start and letters going home from previous settlers
Push factors
escape poverty and unemployment
EX- soldiers after the civil war saw a lack of employment
Railroads
Goernment encourgaed railroad expansion as it increased mirgration west
1862 the Pacific Railroad Act allowed 2 companies t huild a transcontinental railroad
Native Americans not consulted but it would run through their land
The 2 lines met in Utah 1869
Governemnt paid the railroad companies by allocating them land luring settlers ith 'buy now pay later'
For NA the trains disturbed thr buffolo herds and brought more settlers
in its 1st full year 1870 it had 15,000 passangers and in 1882 1 million
The second Gold rush
Black Hills of Dakota mid 1870's
rumors since the Ciil War of Gold and small amounts were found in 1874
large amounts found in Deadwood and people flocked
The Treaty of Laramarie 1868 said the Black Hills belonged to the Native Americans Sioux tribe but it was ignored
Impact of Westward expansion on Native Americans
NA occupied the Great Plains and were almost entirely nomadic following the buffelow who determined their lifestyle
Initially the Us gov left the NA the land white americans didnt want
from 1860 it was gov policy to attract settlers
settlers pushed beyone the natural frontire of the Appalachain Mountaisn
By early 1860's several tribes (Sioux and Cheyenne) were hostile as settlers and armys invaded their lands
The army was ther to offter protection to wagons and settlers for when the NA became hostile
Great Sioux War 1876
1876 the war broke out after the dicsovery of Gold in the hills of Dakota
Us tried to keep the settlers back but there were too may of them
tried to buy out the NA wiht $6 million and they refused so the gov became more harsh
demanded that by 1/1/1876 all NA should go to the reserations or be treated as hostile - many ignored or didnt hear the threats
Popular and political pressure the gov removed the NA from the black hills after some set backs such as the battle of little Bighorn the Us army wiped out the NA
Reservation Policy
the NA were a problem as their indepedence gae them self-determinsation
the Gov relocated them to reserves to Americanise them , without the buffolo they could become christian educated farmers
Reseration life was harsh
land allocated to the NA was impossible to cultivate and without the gov help people starved
humiliating total dependance on white americans
Some NA agesnts were corrupt using reservation resources for their own ends
Interpretations
Early US history the NA plight played a minor role from the white point of view of civilising the west
in the 20th c 1970 publication Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee by Bee brown tells the NA story
1975 followed with Fracis Jennings The invasion of America and challenged the view of a civilsing mission with naked expansion and material interest