Native Americans Manifest destiny

across continent, 1868 lithograph illustrating westward expansion of white settlers

manifest destiny had serious consequences native americans, since continental expansion implicitly meant occupation , annexation of native american land, expand slavery. led confrontations , wars several groups of native peoples via indian removal. united states continued european practice of recognizing limited land rights of indigenous peoples. in policy formulated largely henry knox, secretary of war in washington administration, u.s. government sought expand west through purchase of native american land in treaties. federal government purchase indian lands , done through treaties tribal leaders. whether tribe had decision-making structure capable of making treaty controversial issue. national policy indians join american society , become civilized , meant no more wars neighboring tribes or raids on white settlers or travelers, , shift hunting farming , ranching. advocates of civilization programs believed process of settling native tribes reduce amount of land needed native americans, making more land available homesteading white americans. thomas jefferson believed while american indians intellectual equals of whites, had live whites or inevitably pushed aside them. jefferson s belief, rooted in enlightenment thinking, whites , native americans merge create single nation did not last lifetime, , began believe natives should emigrate across mississippi river , maintain separate society, idea made possible louisiana purchase of 1803.

in age of manifest destiny, idea, came known indian removal , gained ground. humanitarian advocates of removal believed american indians better off moving away whites. historian reginald horsman argued in influential study race , manifest destiny, racial rhetoric increased during era of manifest destiny. americans increasingly believed native american ways of life fade away united states expanded. example, idea reflected in work of 1 of america s first great historians, francis parkman, landmark book conspiracy of pontiac published in 1851. parkman wrote after british conquest of canada in 1760, indians destined melt , vanish before advancing waves of anglo-american power, rolled westward unchecked , unopposed . parkman emphasized collapse of indian power in late 18th century had been swift , past event.