Tension with Indigenous peoples (Edexcel GCSE History): Revision Notes
Tension with Indigenous peoples
Introduction
During the early settlement period of the American West, the US government created policies that sparked significant conflicts with Native American tribes. While the government was eager to expand American territory westward, it also attempted to prevent direct confrontations by keeping Indigenous communities and white settlers in separate areas.
This created a fundamental contradiction in US policy: the government wanted both territorial expansion AND peaceful coexistence with Indigenous peoples - goals that proved impossible to achieve simultaneously.
Timeline of key events (1830-1851)
1830 - Indian Removal Act
This law required Indigenous communities living in eastern states to relocate west of the Mississippi River. The government forced approximately 46,000 tribal members to abandon their ancestral lands and move to what white Americans considered worthless territory - the so-called "Great American Desert."
Historical Impact: The Trail of Tears
The Indian Removal Act led to the forced relocation known as the Trail of Tears, where thousands of Cherokee, Creek, Choctail, Chickasaw, and Seminole people were marched westward under harsh conditions, resulting in thousands of deaths from disease, starvation, and exposure.
1834 - Indian Trade and Intercourse Act
The government established a "Permanent Indian Frontier" that created a clear boundary separating Indian Territory from the eastern states. This frontier was designed to prevent settlers from crossing into Indigenous lands and causing conflicts.
The term "permanent" proved to be anything but permanent, as this frontier would be dismantled just 17 years later in 1851.
1848 - US victory in the Mexican-American War
America's success in this conflict dramatically changed the situation in the West. The country gained vast new territories, but this meant that Indian Territory was no longer positioned on the western edge of the USA. Instead, Indigenous lands were now surrounded by American territory.
This territorial expansion fundamentally altered the strategic position of Indigenous lands, making the previous policy of western separation impossible to maintain.
1851 - Indian Appropriations Act and Fort Laramie Treaty
The Indian Appropriations Act allocated government funding to establish reservations in present-day Oklahoma. Meanwhile, the Fort Laramie Treaty officially ended the "Permanent Indian Frontier" by allowing settlers to move into Indian Territory, though the frontier wasn't formally abolished until 1890.
Government support for westward expansion
The federal government actively encouraged American citizens to settle in western territories. This required people to travel safely across Indigenous lands, so the government took several important steps:
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Military protection: The US Army was deployed to force Native American communities away from major travel routes and to defend settlers from potential attacks during their westward journey
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Policy changes: Government policies evolved to allow settlers to cross the previously established "Frontier," marking a significant shift from the earlier separation strategy
These changes meant that the "Permanent Indian Frontier" no longer served as an effective boundary, as settlers were now permitted and encouraged to move beyond it.
The Indian Appropriations Act of 1851
By the 1850s, many Indigenous peoples had already been relocated to Indian Territory following earlier policies from the 1830s. However, white settlers increasingly wanted access to these lands as well. The 1851 Act represented the government's solution to this growing pressure.
The legislation aimed to:
- Create smaller reservations: Indigenous communities would be moved from larger territories to much smaller, government-managed areas
- Encourage cultural change: The government hoped that life on reservations would teach Native Americans to adopt farming practices and lifestyles similar to white Americans
- Maintain control: Reservations would allow the federal government to monitor and influence where Indigenous peoples lived and how they conducted their daily lives
The underlying belief was that reservations would help Indigenous communities "learn" European-American ways of living, while also freeing up more land for white settlement. This reflected the paternalistic attitudes of the era that viewed Indigenous cultures as inferior and in need of "civilisation."
Key Points to Remember:
- Government contradiction: The US wanted both westward expansion AND to avoid conflicts with Indigenous peoples, creating impossible policies
- Forced displacement: The 1830 Indian Removal Act forced 46,000 tribal members to relocate west of the Mississippi River
- Policy evolution: The "Permanent Indian Frontier" (1834) was effectively ended by the Fort Laramie Treaty (1851), showing how quickly government policies changed
- Military involvement: The US Army played a crucial role in forcing Indigenous communities to move and protecting westward travellers
- Reservation system: The 1851 Indian Appropriations Act established the reservation system as a method of controlling Indigenous peoples while opening more land for settlement