Manifest Destiny & Indian
Removal
Louisiana
Purchase
• For
Adams-Onis
Treaty
• U.S. acquires Florida
from Spain & defines
U.S. – Mexico border
$15 million President Jefferson buys
Louisiana Territory from Napoleon
• doubles size of U.S.
• sends Lewis & Clark exploring
Monroe
Doctrine
Indian
Removal
Act
• President
Monroe warns Europeans
to stay out of the West
• Important in securing our role in the
Western Hemisphere
• We promised to stay out of
affairs of Europe
• Allowed
Federal Government to force
Native Americans west
• Americans felt it was necessary
to western expansion
• Led to Trail of Tears
(about ¼ of Cherokee population died)
Manifest
Destiny
Mormon
Migration
MexicanAmerican
War
• Belief
that God wanted Americans to
move west to the Pacific
•Even if that meant taking Mexican & Native
American lands (more on this…)
• Escaping
religious persecution
Mormons migrated west
•Created Salt Lake City
• U.S.
wins war & gains land
• U.S. pays Mexico $15 million for California,
Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, most of Arizona,
and parts of Colorado & Wyoming
The Gold Rush (Since we DO live
in California!)
James Marshall (bottom center)
in front of Sutter’s Mill
San Francisco in the 1800s
Manifest Destiny
How did Americans justify
Westward Expansion?
Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way,
a painting influenced by the idea of Manifest Destiny
John Gast, American Progress, 1872
Map of the United States, 1872
Contemporary Map of the 1816
United States
John Melish, Map of the U.S. with the contiguous British and
Spanish Possessions,1816
Melish’s comments on his 1816
map of the United States
“To present a picture of it was desirable in every point of
view. The map so constructed, shows at a glance the
whole extent of the United States territory from sea to
sea; and in tracing the probable expansion of the human
race from east to west, the mind finds an agreeable
resting place on its western limits. The view is complete,
and leaves nothing to be wished for. It also adds to the
beauty and symmetry [balance] of the map; which will, it
is confidently believed, be found one of the most useful
and ornamental [decorative] works ever executed
[created] in this country.”
12
–John Melish, 1816
Document Deconstruction
• With a partner, read the two document
excerpts by John O’Sullivan
• Use your collective brains to answer the
questions on your handouts
Make a Claim & Support it
• On the back of your handout, answer the
following question:
• “How did Americans justify moving westward?”
• Come up with a CLAIM (something debatable)
and writ the following:
• ONE paraphrased concrete detail from the lecture
that supports your claim; and ONE line of
commentary that explains HOW your paraphrase
supports the claim.
• ONE quote from the document(s) that supports
your claim; and ONE line of commentary that
explains HOW your quote supports the claim.
• If I like it…I will ask you to write it on the board!
What do you think?
• This theory that Americans are special is called
“American Exceptionalism.” It’s this idea that
America has had such a unique history and
has become so powerful that there’s
something really special about it.
• What do you think about this theory? What do
you predict this belief will lead to as we go
through U.S. History?
The Trail of Tears 1838
Trail of Tears, Robert Lindneux 1942
Map of the Trail of Tears
THE REMOVAL
OF NATIVE
AMERICANS,
1820-1843
The Timeline
• Civilization – What does it mean to be
civilized?
• Five Civilized Tribes
• Andrew Jackson & the Indian Removal Act
• Worcester v. Georgia: “John Marshall has
made his opinion, now let him enforce it”
Sourcing & Contextualization
• With a Partner:
– One person read Document A and answer
the questions
– One person read Document B and answer
the questions
– Then…we’ll put it all in the room for
discussion
Discussion
• Findings from those who read Document A
• Findings from those who read Document B
– (Note…record responses in your own words)
• Why did Jackson or Boudinot think Indian Removal was
in the best interest of the Cherokee?
• Do you believe them? What parts sound
sincere/believable?
• Why might some people at that time have believed
that Indian Removal was a reasonable policy?
• How have our attitudes changed/stayed the same since
the 1830s?
Complicate Your Thinking
• Historian Matthew P. Guterl observes, "Most
Americans believed that race was one of the
most important parts of national life; that race
mattered because it guaranteed this country a
[glorious] future in the history of the world."
• While few would admit it today, do you think
the definition of progress is still tied to being
white?
• Film Clip: Race – The Power of Illusion
Complicate Your Thinking
• Can you think of historical or current
instances in which those who are not
defined as white are blamed for
American weakness or problems?
23
Complicate Your Thinking
• How was the notion of Manifest
Destiny shaped by beliefs about
race?