The Effects of American Imperialism on Native Americans - Essay Example

The Effects of American Imperialism on Native Americans Introduction The attitude of the United s in its formative years toward indigenous peoples caused a profound, lasting effect on the Native American populations of the United States. European settlers brought epidemic disease and instigated warfare to take over the land. The resulting genocide, as well as forced displacement and low social status in the United States, altered the cultures and condition of Native Americans. With the coming of the visitors, the natives of the nation had to follow new policies. This issue is imperative, not only because it sheds light on the reality of American foreign policy, but also because it contributes to current systematic issues in Native American populations, including poverty moreover, high rates of health conditions such as alcoholism, mental diseases diabetes, and suicide. The American foreign policy has also influenced the culture of the people. The natives of America have lost their culture, values and native lands (Gunlög 56). This paper will examine the short- and long-term impact of American expansionism on Native Americans. It further reveals certain important features of the American policy frameworks on the natives. American Foreign Policy on Native Americans The American foreign policy on the natives of America began from the period of foreign invasion. The history of invasion begins in the year 1776 when a plan for developing the central government came into force. The plan to formulate the government however ignored natives influence. Because of the conference, the unity of states came into being. The new government came with a union of states leading to the birth of the current United States of America. The content of the articles from that confederation meeting required other states to share power with the central government (Gunlög 58). The central government influenced the natives since they had the power to regulate Indians affairs “natives of the land”. The government further had the power to make war and peace, requisition of money and men from other states and conduction diplomatic relations. The states had the responsibilities of administering justice, enforcing laws and regulating commerce. Before the start of the twentieth century, native of America numbering about 250,000-exercised limited self-government on reserves. However, during the century they were deprived their freedom. At this period the natives of America lost their land due to succession treaties. The populations of the natives had to move westwards due to the military defeat by the USA expansion plans. The expansion plans for the USA was to exercise military maneuvers to displace native and gain control of the western side of America (Gunlög 75). In the year 1831, the supreme court of the United States recognized the Indians as “Domestic Independent Nation”. With the federal governments expansion plans, Indians, as well as other minority groups began resisting. Realizing the implication of such resistant movements, the central government developed policies to assimilate natives. The natives Indians felt that the federal government headed by white had an agenda of taking their land and vast resources. The native population had the interest of protecting the environment as well as their culture. However, they did not have power to resist federal government’s advances. The federal government had the upper hand. However, it is evident that tensions are still present between the Natives and the federal government (Heather 48). The last evidence of the policies came in the 1940s to 1950s when the Indian New Deal policy became irrelevant. Expansion Policies The expansion policies of the American federal government on the Natives relates to two approaches. The government felt that in order to expand their territories they had to assimilate the indigenous populations or removing them from their lands. The central government felt that they hand to formulate formal policies as well as make treaties with natives. It was concerning this that the federal government formulated the Northwest Ordinance in the year 1787. The Northwest Ordinance policy statement features the treatment of Native as equals and fairly. However, by the 1820s the policies of the federal state began to transform. It became apparent that Native American population held millions of valuable land. By the year 1829, the natives of America had the right of ownership in Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia (Heather 56). To advance the interest of the federal government, the Indian Removal Act of 1830 was effected. The Indian Removal Act gave powers to the president to remove Indians from their land in western Mississippi. Further, in the year 1938 and 1939, over 15000 Indians were removed from their land. These Indian forced to march in chains for miles to the present day Oklahoma, lost over 4000 of their members (Heather 63). The other doctrine that the federal state utilized was the Doctrine of Discovery. According to this doctrine, discoverers of lands had to take procession of them. Formal Colonialism At the end of the colonial era, aspects of Christian superiority, intolerance and the Doctrine of discovery had an influence on the Natives of America. Such attitudes towards the American Indians and minority groups led to aspects that permitted formal colonialism. The attitude of the federal government towards Indians and Minority groups led to the formulation of policies. These policies relates to formal dispossession, assimilation, removal and assimilation policies (Heather 57). The first colonialism policy relates to the “Northwest Ordinance”. The ordinance was directed at giving Indians with good faith. The federal government used the policy to occupy Indian lands as well as develop its influence. Another prominent aspect of the American influence on colonizing the Native relate to the Dawes Act of 1887. According to the Dawes Act, each Indian family received 16o acres of land. On the hand, it was a policy that if an individual abandons tribal practices they would receive American citizenship (Heather 63). The influence of the Dawes Act was not beneficial to the Indians and Natives of America. The Act’s intention was to Americanize the Natives. This meant that they had to answer to the federal government. The other influence relates to the destruction of the culture of the natives. Further, the Dawes Act led to the loss of land by the natives. Nationalism and imperial control After the war between Indian and French national ended in present America, Britain designed an effective system of governance. The colony had to tighten control on the American territory. In response to this need, the British government provided various policies. The federal government in the present United States of America had to inculcate the aspect of nationalism on the Natives. One of the policies related to nationalism for the Natives of America was the Snyder Indian Citizenship Act (Gunlög 72). This Act came into effect in the year 1924. The basic principle of the act was to assimilate Indians and other natives into the American culture. According to this Act Indians born in the United States of America became citizens upon birth. “The Wheeler-Howard Indian Reorganization Act” provided a basis for the return of unsold lands to the Indians (Heather 54). On the other hand, the act authorized Indians to launch businesses as well as launch corporations. The act became an important tool to the Indian people since it provided tribal leaders with powers to launch corporations. Another policy that shaped the American policy toward Natives is the termination policy. The formulation of the termination policy ended the activities of the bureau of Indian affairs. The termination policy subjected natives to taxation through division of tribal property (Gunlög 73). The government of the time relocated many Indians into the cities where jobs were prevalent. One may state further that the termination policy ended the responsibility of the federal government towards welfare, health and education. Conclusion The U.S during the nineteen century was influenced towards expanding it territories westwards. Concerning the expansion, the government would have to occupy territories owned by native tribe communities. The native communities underwent many challenges from the steady flow of European immigrants. The migration of the European community led to the displacement of the native as well as death. The federal government of the USA expanded its territory over the Arizona region and Mississippi (Heather 48). Their expansion plans did not end there; they further encouraged the Indians to abolish their cultural practices and assimilate to the American culture. Research reveals that even in the present day America, minority groups suffer from lack of sufficient facilities. It is evident that American native communities suffer from lack of sufficient healthcare, welfare and other facilities. One wonders how such a community with vast historical resources and culture could suffer under the hands of immigrants. Will the native community receive their fair share of resources of compensation? Works Cited Fur, Gunlög. "Indians And Immigrants--Entangled Histories." Journal Of American Ethnic History 33.3 (2014): 55-76. Winlow, Heather. "Strangers On Their Own Land1: Ideology, Policy, And Rational Landscapes In The United States, 1825-1934." Cartographica 48.1 (2013): 47-66 Read More