Chapter 9

In this chapter we are reading about the westward Expansion is beginning to increase. After the war of 1812 the Americans developed western culture. They came to the west for a better lifestyle. The west was growing power for many reasons for example the growing power of the federal government, the removal of Indians and increase prices of agricultural commodities. The west was booming and if I had a choice I would have chosen to live in this era. What I found interesting was how the western society developed and how different people from different areas brought their own customs.  They all formed a society among each other.  This chapter you can see the change within societies, they all coming together as one (in away) For example rural families join together for sports and festivities (men) and women also combining work with play. The west was developing its own character. Of course the Eastern didn't like the structure of the West. They state, “Western lack of refinement”. So obviously both Western and Eastern had different views. The section I found interesting to read was the removal of Indians. I learned about the “five civilized tribes” (Cherokees, Choctaws, Creeks, Chickasaws and Seminoles.)Whites had mixed within these tribes creating mixed bloods who embraced Christianity, practiced agriculture and they even owned slaves. That surprised me because the Indians knew how slaves were treated because they were slaves themselves. So hearing that they owned slaves was shocking. But that shows how the Indians assimilated into the Western culture very quickly. I liked how the book or author acknowledged the Cherokees civilization, how they formed their own language and built their own bilingual newspaper. A lot of history books never really go into depth to how civilized the Natives were. The Americans did civilized them, the Natives had their own way in forming a society but since it wasn't the same as the Americans it was seen as “uncivilized”. In 1827 the Cherokee adopted a written constitution declaring themselves to be a sovereign nation. They based this on United States policy; in former treaties, Indian nations had been declared sovereign so they would be legally capable of giving their lands. They also went to the Supreme Court. (Now tell me that they were “uncivilized people) The Cherokee people knew what they were doing, and knew how to go about saving their lands. In doing so the court was on their said and able them the right to self-government.  Once Jackson came to office he couldn't stand Indians having their lands he believed it was “ridiculous to treat the Indians as independent nations. So he decided to come up with the “Indian removal act” which gave power to the president to remove treaties with Indian tribes living east of Mississippi. This is what I dislike about history because it is unfair. Learning how the Americans basically took lands that weren't theirs makes me question their actions. What gives them the right to confiscate land that was already owned? What makes them think it was acceptable to do that? I will always have questions for Jackson and the people involved.