Gaining Control
Since colonial times the policy toward gaining land that belonged to Native Americans involved both diplomacy and warfare. Hundreds of treaties were worked out and broken through the 16th and 17th Century. More than 370 ratified treaties have helped the U.S. expand its territory and led to many broken promises made to American Indians. The idea of gaining land was not the only motivating factor. Manifest Destiny -a natural inevitable right to expand to the Pacific was another motivating factor. By 1823, president James
Diplomacy allowed the US to purchase Louisiana from the French in 1803 allowing more Americans to move West. By similar means Florida and Oregon were attained. However, the Mexican American War gained the United states a vast territory that included Texas and California. The discovery of rich deposits of gold in 1949 would help in expansion.
From 1820 to 1870, millions immigrants came to the United States. About a third from Ireland due to the famine and almost a third from Germany. Many others came from Asia. Some moved into the urban areas and contributed to the industrialization of the United States. Immigrants built canals and constructed railroads that would aid in expansion. Immigrants would also move westward in search for land.
Industrial Technology including the building of the Transcontinental Railroad, the telegraph and weapons also allowed the United states to solidify its control over the land and the conquered Natives and Mexicans. At the same time, the rich resources that the land provided proved to be a great motivator for expansion.
Consequences
Expansion enabled the US to become the world's agricultural leader. This period was also the time of large scale manufacturing in the cities that also allowed the US to become a world power. In the 1820's American Railroads were still in the experimental stage but by 1850, 15,000 kilometers of railroad had been built. Crop failures in the fields no longer meant famine and malnutrition as rural areas were connected to large markets through transport infrastructure.
American ingenuity and economic growth spurred the Second Industrial Revolution. Inventions such as the lightbulb, telephone, vulcanization and the assembly line changed not only American lives but the world. As a consequence of these inventions, living conditions improved significantly and the prices of goods fell dramatically.
However, from the beginning of colonial times, Natives suffered untold deaths from disease. As people moved westward and took over Native land, Indian Wars broke out. The government had to send soldiers to protect the pioneers that exacerbated the already tense situation. Eventually, the US government removed natives to reservations. One of the most famous cases of removal included the Cherokee in what was called The Trail of Tears. With a focus on assimilation the US government would place Native children in boarding schools to educate them in Western Culture. The idea of "Kill the Indian and Save the Man" meant cultural loss for many natives. Reservations also meant poverty, alcoholism and a loss of culture for many natives.
Colonize Californios, Tejanos and other Mexicans did not fare well either. Through laws and force many were displaced from their lands, not allowed to participate in government and many were lynched. Hispanics, like African Americans and other minorities, suffered due to segregation and racism.
Immigrants, especially Asian immigrants of all backgrounds faced racism and violence. (we will discuss that in the next lesson)
American ingenuity and economic growth spurred the Second Industrial Revolution. Inventions such as the lightbulb, telephone, vulcanization and the assembly line changed not only American lives but the world. As a consequence of these inventions, living conditions improved significantly and the prices of goods fell dramatically.
However, from the beginning of colonial times, Natives suffered untold deaths from disease. As people moved westward and took over Native land, Indian Wars broke out. The government had to send soldiers to protect the pioneers that exacerbated the already tense situation. Eventually, the US government removed natives to reservations. One of the most famous cases of removal included the Cherokee in what was called The Trail of Tears. With a focus on assimilation the US government would place Native children in boarding schools to educate them in Western Culture. The idea of "Kill the Indian and Save the Man" meant cultural loss for many natives. Reservations also meant poverty, alcoholism and a loss of culture for many natives.
Colonize Californios, Tejanos and other Mexicans did not fare well either. Through laws and force many were displaced from their lands, not allowed to participate in government and many were lynched. Hispanics, like African Americans and other minorities, suffered due to segregation and racism.
Immigrants, especially Asian immigrants of all backgrounds faced racism and violence. (we will discuss that in the next lesson)