Comments on: The Long, Bitter Trail (II) http://expostfacto.historytools.org/the-long-bitter-trail-ii/ Unsolicited Historical Commentary Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:24:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Scott T Nichols http://expostfacto.historytools.org/the-long-bitter-trail-ii/#comment-160 Scott T Nichols Tue, 20 Mar 2007 17:45:04 +0000 http://expostfacto.historytools.org/the-long-bitter-trail-ii/#comment-160 It was no surprise that White European America and Native America did not have a healthy relationship. White European with their one God and beliefs that the Earth was here for them fueled the passion of expansion. The Natives who believed that they were put on Earth to keep it in balance lived from what the Earth provided them and did not waste anything. They lived in houses, kept farmlands that provided for themselves and neighbors, they held lavish ceremonies to please the Gods of Nature. If the land was not needed then it was not cultivated. This to the White Europeans was a waste of land and stood in the way of their expansion. This lead to the policy's of Christian Reform and Removal. The more Natives that could be changed to Christianity the better and if they couldn't be then get rid of them. Now not all White European and Eventually White American politicians and government officials believed that they should be kicked off of thier land, so they used tactics of bribery, trade (whiskey), and conning to get the land needed to expand. Manhatten was bought for a handful of jewels. Many lands where bought from Natives that were intoxicated and not authorized to sale the lands. One of these so called great men was Lewis Cass. Named Superintendent of Indian Affairs for Michigan was to become the Secretary of War and deal with Indian Affairs. Because Cass had so much "knowledge" of the Northern Midwestern Indians and their language and cultures, Cass' ideas for removal were excepted and shared by many. Because he believed that the "hunter" which all Natives were, should give up their lands and give way to the Agricultural white family. This leads to "moral" justification of all Natives within America to to be romoved westward, "because only by emigration could the Indians survive as a race and become civilized."(42) I think his narrow view of a few tribes made Cass misunderstand the life and culture of all the tribes and cultures of the Natives when it came to removal. In his eyes all Indians were "hunters" and needed to be civilized. It was no surprise that White European America and Native America did not have a healthy relationship. White European with their one God and beliefs that the Earth was here for them fueled the passion of expansion. The Natives who believed that they were put on Earth to keep it in balance lived from what the Earth provided them and did not waste anything. They lived in houses, kept farmlands that provided for themselves and neighbors, they held lavish ceremonies to please the Gods of Nature. If the land was not needed then it was not cultivated. This to the White Europeans was a waste of land and stood in the way of their expansion.

This lead to the policy’s of Christian Reform and Removal. The more Natives that could be changed to Christianity the better and if they couldn’t be then get rid of them. Now not all White European and Eventually White American politicians and government officials believed that they should be kicked off of thier land, so they used tactics of bribery, trade (whiskey), and conning to get the land needed to expand. Manhatten was bought for a handful of jewels. Many lands where bought from Natives that were intoxicated and not authorized to sale the lands.

One of these so called great men was Lewis Cass. Named Superintendent of Indian Affairs for Michigan was to become the Secretary of War and deal with Indian Affairs. Because Cass had so much “knowledge” of the Northern Midwestern Indians and their language and cultures, Cass’ ideas for removal were excepted and shared by many. Because he believed that the “hunter” which all Natives were, should give up their lands and give way to the Agricultural white family. This leads to “moral” justification of all Natives within America to to be romoved westward, “because only by emigration could the Indians survive as a race and become civilized.”(42) I think his narrow view of a few tribes made Cass misunderstand the life and culture of all the tribes and cultures of the Natives when it came to removal. In his eyes all Indians were “hunters” and needed to be civilized.

]]> By: Corey Livieri http://expostfacto.historytools.org/the-long-bitter-trail-ii/#comment-158 Corey Livieri Tue, 20 Mar 2007 16:15:43 +0000 http://expostfacto.historytools.org/the-long-bitter-trail-ii/#comment-158 America had two approaches to Indian relations. The first approach was removal. This meant that many tribes were either eliminated, or moved onto reservations. Most reservations were not suitable for living because they were on undesired American soil. Another approach to Indian relations was reform. By "reforming" the Indians, Americans would try to change Indian customs by adapting them into American society. People of the Enlightenment movement tried to teach the Indians the ways of their own religions. When it came to what the two policies had in common, they both attempted to change the Indians for the betterment of American society. Many Americans were not going to let the Indians get in the way of their dream of manifest destiny. America had two approaches to Indian relations. The first approach was removal. This meant that many tribes were either eliminated, or moved onto reservations. Most reservations were not suitable for living because they were on undesired American soil. Another approach to Indian relations was reform. By “reforming” the Indians, Americans would try to change Indian customs by adapting them into American society. People of the Enlightenment movement tried to teach the Indians the ways of their own religions. When it came to what the two policies had in common, they both attempted to change the Indians for the betterment of American society. Many Americans were not going to let the Indians get in the way of their dream of manifest destiny.

]]> By: Jessica http://expostfacto.historytools.org/the-long-bitter-trail-ii/#comment-147 Jessica Mon, 19 Mar 2007 18:12:15 +0000 http://expostfacto.historytools.org/the-long-bitter-trail-ii/#comment-147 The relationship between the United States and the Indian nations was very poor. The treaties that the United States had set up outraged the Indians because when the treaty was signed the US got the Indians drunk, unauthorized individuals had signed the treaty for their tribes, and the US threatened and bribed the individuals to sign the treaty. This then caused heavy conflict between the Indians and Americans that wanted to enter Indian territory. A Western Confederacy was formed which caused Americans to recognize the rights of Indians to own land and treated them like a foreign nation in that concern. The relationship between the United States and the Indian nations was very poor. The treaties that the United States had set up outraged the Indians because when the treaty was signed the US got the Indians drunk, unauthorized individuals had signed the treaty for their tribes, and the US threatened and bribed the individuals to sign the treaty. This then caused heavy conflict between the Indians and Americans that wanted to enter Indian territory. A Western Confederacy was formed which caused Americans to recognize the rights of Indians to own land and treated them like a foreign nation in that concern.

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