A Popular American Topic On The 19th Century

•thinking as a person living during this time period, draw up a list of demands (about five or six) and discuss which are the most important and which you are willing to limit through compromise

Prior to the 1800s, US expansion had been accepted by the government in the thirteen colonies. Despite the government's favor for territorial expansion, the controversy was spread throughout the 13 colonies on the idea of expansion. An American who influenced expansion in America, John O’ Sullivan, conjectured that territorial expansion was destined and it was god’s given right to expand America coast to coast, or in this case into westward territories. This thought was defined as Manifest Destiny and aided the fuel of western settlement, Native American Removal and war with Mexico. Many Americans did, however, oppose expansion and war causing, but their inputs didn’t change the idea of expansion. During the period of 1800-1855, America’s idea to expand territory succeeded in events such as the Louisiana Purchase (1803) and the Indian Removal Act. These events certainly satisfied proponents of expansion and influenced America's westward expansion. Despite these achievements, opponents of expansions opposed because of events like the War of 1812 and the Mexican-American war. America’s shape today is indeed based on these beliefs of expanding America.

In 1828, otherwise known as “The Age of Jackson”, America was a country on its way to the West. America’s revolutionary generation was quickly fading, making room for a new balance of political power. As the class systems were breaking down, the “common man” was better able to cast his vote for the new President. Jackson was glorified by his impressive war accomplishments and humble background of the frontier. This made him the main target for presidency in election 1824. Once coming to power, Jackson no longer portrayed humble beginnings, but became a conundrum to the people he was leading by removing indians from their homeland and forcing them West. His use of power can be debated based on the state of the country thereafter. Although Andrew Jackson was dubbed “The People 's President”, his time in office reflected a very different outcome.

Before the Eastern World knew that the America’s were there, natives to the American lands were already here and thriving. As the land was discovered, more and more people from the European side of the Hemisphere traveled across the Atlantic Ocean to stake a claim for land in this newfound world. Throughout these Europeans settling in, and making new homes and lives for themselves these natives stayed to their own ways, and were slowly pushed westward. The problems between the Indians and now Americans were brought to the forefront as the population of the states grew, and there was a need for expansion. When the Louisiana Purchase was struck between the United States and France, the land previously inhabited by the natives were now under the control of the United States government. As the population continued to climb in numbers, individuals along with the United States government decided to take actions for the removal of these natives. Throughout the book, The Long, Bitter Trail, Andrew Jackson and the Indians by: Anthony F.C. Wallace, the events leading up to, during, and the effects of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. Individuals such as Andrew Jackson along with the government used different methods to remove these Indians from the southeastern lands of the United States. Starting in the beginning of the 1800’s,

The Market Revolution adversely affected the liberty of Native Americans residing within the United States because they were seen as an obstacle to the country’s economic progress. As the Market Revolution ideas of commerce and expansion took hold in the minds of the people, these white citizens shared the view that Native Americans were hindering the goal of expansion. The citizens believed it was their God-sanctioned right to settle the West (Manifest Destiny) and the Native Americans stood in the way. Conflicts with Native Americans have existed in America since the first settlers, but with the increased emphasis on commerce and development brought by the Market Revolution, the relations worsened. In 1823, during the case of Johnson v M’Intosh, the Supreme Court claimed that Native Americans only had the “right of occupancy” on their land, and that they did not own it. In 1830, under Jackson’s administration, the Indian Removal Act was created which tried to move the 5 Civilized Tribes out of their lands.

​The nineteenth century marked a period of time of growth and development for the United States. During this time, the U.S. experienced important advances in science, technology, industrialization, and civil rights. This is also the time period where the U.S. began its expansion from east coast to west coast. This is known as the conquest of manifest destiny. Unfortunately, this destiny came at a price. The price paid for this was by the Native American people who were essentially forcibly moved off of their land for the achievement of this goal. A question arises as to whether this was justified and whether there were other ways in which these goals could have been achieved

In the early 1800's America began to create their own unique culture. For the longest time, America had been getting their ideas and being influenced by other countries. I believe that they wanted to create a new type of culture that was truly American. They did this by creating new art forms such as literature, music, painting, and architecture. For example, Americans began using characters and setting that fell into the "American" category. Most characters, were "portrayed as strong, brave, resourceful, and honorable" (chapter 6-3, page 323). Another thing Americans did different, is what they built things. "American architects of the early 1800s developed their own forms of building" (chapter 6-3, page 325). Based on ideas from Greece and

First of all, Andrew Jackson forced Native Americans to move out of of their traditional homelands, as shown in Document G. The Treaty of New Echota basically

One of the many subjects of critical importance in American history was the relocation of American Indians, known as the Indian Removal. President Andrew Jackson favored the rapid settlement of Western and Southern lands by whites, therefore he wanted to make a drastic change, and he certainly did. In his two terms as president, Jackson worked to implement his vision of a politics of opportunity for all white men (The American Promise, 285). He held the belief that previous efforts to promote the assimilation of Indian peoples had failed. In his 1830 letter to Congress, Jackson announced the benefits resulting from the relocation of the native people, and the “pecuniary advantages” that such movement would bestow on the Anglo American population

Andrew Jackson’s impact on America had both negative impacts and positive impacts. For negative impacts, he was a man slaughterer of native Indian tribes and treated them unfairly. He caused a problem when he initiated the nullification crisis and force act. For positive impacts, he destroyed the national bank. He did both bad things and good things, and to understand all of them is important.

The idea of western expansion was promoted in order to strengthen the reputation and the entirety of the infant country. This was appropriated and romanticized through texts and documents, such as Manifest Destiny by John C. Calhoun and the message promoting the Indian Removal Act by President Jackson, which uses various appeals and logical fallacies to persuade the audience on the ideal benefits and optimistic virtues without the consideration of the Native American demographic. While expanding, the Americans encountered numerous Native Americans that ranged from a violent interaction to a peaceful treaty of removal in order to satisfy the American’s territorial cupidity. Despite America resorting back to its founding principles to

This torturous trend did not stop with the settlers. Even the American government that had previously promised, through the words of American founders like Thomas Jefferson, to protect the Indians, treated the Indians cruelly. For example, President Andrew Jackson’s vision for America was not accommodative of the Native American. His policies were notorious for punishing the Cherokee community especially the most assimilated and civilized members. The American government made and broke all the vows it made to the Cherokee community concerning the protection of the native people and their lands. By 1838, the American government was not even attempting to make vows of friendship. Instead, it gave the Cherokee the choice of voluntarily leaving their productive lands or facing a forced eviction. This ultimatum set pace for what was to become a Trail of

The first half of the nineteenth century brought a wide scheme of expansion towards the western area. Although this benefited many people, it also amplified the stress amongst the Indian populace. This era was filled with the expansion of land, Indian removal, and proposals which were made in order to better and form the government into a more just and righteous system. Many of these opinions and appeals can be seen amongst the following historical articles and documents: The Treaty of Ghent, the “Defense of the American System” by Henry Clay, and the First Annual Message to Congress by Andrew Jackson. By studying these readings one can better understand the reasons behind the westward expansion, the commitment that the Treaty of Ghent established between the Indians and the United States, and the stance that Andrew Jackson took towards the argument for Indian removal.

Manifest Destiny, one of the most influential ideologies in American history, was used as the basis to justify almost-continuous conflict from the early- to the late-19th century (Greenberg 3). This conflict included the relentless displacement of Native Americans from their ancestral lands, a war of aggression against Mexico in 1846, and attacks on countries such as Canada, Cuba, and even Central America, by filibusters and military action to gain overseas colonies (Greenberg 10, 25, and 26). While Manifest Destiny first arose as a dominant ideology during the early nineteenth-century, the concept of American exceptionalism, the heart of this ideology, was older than the nation itself. This concept was taken by white Americans as proof that they, and their nation, were unique and marked by God for a special destiny (Greenberg, 5). It would be several decades before the advantages of American settlement would be presented to the world. One advantage being the Louisiana Purchase, which was the expansion westward.

The complexities of race effected the Jacksonian era through the shrewdness of the white man’s desires for economic expansion. Democracy, during its infancy in early nineteenth century America, considered all ‘people’ as equals. However, this designation of ‘people’ excluded African and Native Americans. The institution of slavery was a return investment venture for southern planters in their greed for the production of more staple crops. Many white Americans led extravagant lifestyles from the large incomes they received from the labors of their property. Also, the controversy over removing the Native American’s from their lands portrayed the voracity in which the European Americans afflicted upon the native civilizations during the