- Beliefs: Traditionally, Native Americans do not believe in land ownership, they have close cultural ties to their distinct landscape, so when forced to move by the American government, they could no longer properly practice their culture. Native Americans would subscribe to some Christian beliefs creating a syncretic religion in order to peacefully resist blatant removal from their homelands .
- Geography and Environment: American Indians left a fairly small footprint on their environment, being conservative with their resources because of animistic beliefs holding values for even non living elements in nature. Clothing was often made from the hide of animals indigenous to the area as was housing.
- Peopling: Native Americans were forcibly moved by the United States army when Andrew Jackson passed the Indian Removal Act of 1830. Indians were forced into indian reserves in the great plains in areas that were not optimal for agriculture. This tragic migration in 1832 was known as the “Trail of Tears” because over 4000 natives died of hunger or hypothermia in transit to the reservations
- Politics: The Cherokee nation challenged the Supreme Court after passing the Indian removal act The Dawes act of 1887 partitioned native lands into individual plots order to weaken tribal groups and offer citizenship to those who accepted the allotments. The objective of the Dawes act was to disintegrate Native social and cultural traditions and assimilate them into American society.
Map of Lands Assigned to Indians, Western Territory - US Federal Government
H.) 1834 - Land Assigned to indians; led to later conflict, and eventually removal of the indians by settlers.
I.) The U.S Federal Government.
P.) Higher-up in federal government finalizing the agreement, or a map maker.
P.) Map made to display exact outlines of given land.
I.) The U.S Federal Government.
P.) Higher-up in federal government finalizing the agreement, or a map maker.
P.) Map made to display exact outlines of given land.
The Indian Removal Act - Andrew Jackson
H.) 1830 - Signed by Andrew Jackson at the dawn of westward expansion.
I.) Native Americans and United States citizens. Making a point that Manifest destiny is imminent.
P.) President Andrew Jackson.
P.) To establish western settlements and free up land to begin manifest destiny.
I.) Native Americans and United States citizens. Making a point that Manifest destiny is imminent.
P.) President Andrew Jackson.
P.) To establish western settlements and free up land to begin manifest destiny.
"Group of twelve Indian women & children" - Barry, D. F. (David Frances)
H.) 1880’s - Time when indians were discriminated against due to encroaching United States settlers
I.) The national public.
P.) A photographer who is documenting Native American culture in the west.
P.) To show insight to the 19th century Native American lifestyle.
I.) The national public.
P.) A photographer who is documenting Native American culture in the west.
P.) To show insight to the 19th century Native American lifestyle.
- Thesis: To what extent did American Indians impact the growth of the West?
Although American Indians were eventually forced to Indian reserves, they peacefully resisted western expansion by assimilating to some practices of Anglo-Americans, attempting to battle restrictive legislation in the supreme court, and engaging in warfare with the United States army, which slightly hindered the growth of the West.
Native Americans prevented immediate expansion westward by means of integrating Anglo-American culture hoping America would leave them be if the two groups weren’t so drastically different. Some of the traditions adopted by Natives was the practice of slaveholding, agriculture, and the practice of Christianity.The United States’ government left the Natives to their own devices until the presidency of Andrew Jackson when the Indian Removal Act was passed and relocated 1000s of indians to reserves in the great plains through the trail of tears. The Native Americans played a miniscule role in preventing growth of the West.